Joy Awards: MENA’s biggest awards show set to return to Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh

Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA) announced on Tuesday the return of Joy Awards for its highly anticipated fifth edition with nominations for all categories now open.

The region’s largest celebrity awards show – part of Riyadh Season and co-organized by MBC Group – will take place on January 18, 2025.

For more news on Saudi Arabia, visit our dedicated page.

The award show recognizes and honors the GCC and wider Arab world’s best artists and their achievements.

Spanning cinema, television, music, sports, and digital influence, the ceremony serves as a premier platform for entertainment excellence, honoring the exceptional talent that drives cultural vibrancy and standout creativity throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Nominations and voting

Audiences can nominate and vote for their favorite stars, movies, and television series from the past year using the Joy Awards app, in a two-phase process.

The nomination process is open for one month.

A list of the top four nominees – those with the highest number of public nominations – in each category will then be announced.

Once the nominations are finalized and announced, the voting phase begins – which will also last for one month – during which users can vote only once per category.

At the end of this phase, voting results are tallied, leading to the live announcement of the winners at the Joy Awards 2025 ceremony in Riyadh.

Live from the lavender carpet

The event will kick off with live coverage of the stars arriving on the lavender carpet, broadcast on MBC’s TV channels and Shahid streaming platform.

The evening promises exciting moments and unexpected surprises, featuring segments with special guest appearances by Arab and international stars, as well as musical performances.

A total of 19 awards will honor the talent and 2024 productions, recognizing their contributions to art and culture in the region.

Joy Awards 2025 categories

Categories listed on the Joy Awards app include music, cinema, television, sports, and digital influencers.

The TV Series category has been revamped, with the introduction of three new sub-categories to “Favorite TV Series.”

The “Directors category” has been added for the first time this year to celebrate outstanding talent and creativity in film and series directing.

The complete list of categories:

Cinema

Favorite Movie

Favorite Actress

Favorite Actor

TV series

Favorite Gulf Series

Favorite Egyptian Series

Favorite Levant Series

Favorite Series Actress

Favorite Series Actor

Favorite Rising Star (in a TV series – male/female)

Music

Favorite Song

Favorite Male Singer

Favorite Female Singer

Favorite New Artist (Music – male/female)

Directing

Favorite Series Director

Favorite Film Director

Influencers

Favorite Male Influencer

Favorite Female Influencer

Sports

Favorite Male Athlete

Favorite Female Athlete

Read more:

Webuild reports no hiccup on NEOM activities after mega project CEO’s departure

‘1001 Seasons’: Glitter, glamour, A-listers center stage at Elie Saab Riyadh show

Riyadh Air: Saudi airline to recruit ‘top talent in the Kingdom’ as it gears for launch