Ladies and gentlemen, the International Portuguese Music Awards have returned for 2022, and not only are the nominees the talk of the night, but the venue capacity has leveled up in a big way.

In the past, the IPMAs have been hosted by New Bedford's Zeiterion Performing Arts Center on Purchase Street, but with big demand comes the search for a bigger venue. Therefore, the awards will be handed out at Providence Performing Arts Center on Saturday, April 23.

Those unfamiliar with the IPMAs celebrate Portuguese music as a global culture. The annual award ceremony shines a light on some of the world's highest-achieving musical artists of Portuguese descent.

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The hosts for the big night are none other than local RTP talk show host Ricardo Farias and "NCIS: Los Angeles" actress Daniela Ruah. Farias was born in Providence and Ruah was born in Boston.

This is not the first rodeo for Farias, but he said he was humbled to be chosen.

"There is no doubt that the IPMAs are special to me," Farias said. "I have been involved since the beginning and this will be my eighth time hosting. This 10th-anniversary show has all the ingredients to be huge. The lineup, the venue and the production are all second to none. I’m proud to be co-hosting alongside a Hollywood star and, for the first time in IPMA history, the show will be hosted by two Portuguese-Americans.

"There is a lot of responsibility on our shoulders as hosts, but we will definitely put in the necessary effort to try and make the show flow in an entertaining manner. If you have never been to one of the previous shows, I highly recommend going to the 10th anniversary."

On Sunday, April 10, the IPMAs released the official nominations and entertainment for the 10th Annual IPMAs.

This year’s nominees hail from nine countries.

2022 IMPA Entertainment Lineup:

• Aurea (Singing Coach on The Voice Portugal)
• Jorge Ferreira (Azorean-born international recording artist)
• Paulo Gonzo (Multi-platinum recording artist, singer, and songwriter)
• Calema (Portuguese YouTube duo sensation)
• Xutos e Pontapés (Portugal’s top rock band with a 40-plus-year career)
• Delfins (A legendary pop-rock band that reached mega-stardom status in Portugal in the ’90s)

As a bonus, two additional artists will perform, representing this year's "New Talent" category.

A panel of judges will be secretly spread throughout the audience who will rate both acts. The winner will be named the same night and will also receive a $2,000 cash prize as well as studio time with MDC Music in Toronto.

Anyone interested in supporting local talent can purchase tickets here.