This year’s South African Music Awards (SAMA) nominees’ announcement took place at the Jabulani Theatre in Soweto, on Tuesday October 3rd. The main event will take place in a two-day spectacle between the November 17 and 18 at the Durban Convention Centre.
The awards ceremony is a premium music event hosted by RiSA, shares their website. The annual event “honours the country’s finest music talent over two days in key categories, as they battle for the South African industry’s highest honour – a statuette at the South African Music Awards. Nominees also take the stage by storm with a series of epic, never-to-be-repeated performances, as the nation watches SA’s finest talent at work,” shares the SAMA website.
Below is a list of this year’s SAMA nominees.
Female Artist of the Year
- Kelly Khumalo – From A God To A King
- Ntokozo Mbambo – Lavish Worship
- Sincerely Anne – To Whom it May Concern
- Hle – Take Heart
- Thandi Ntuli – Blk Elijah & The Children of Meroë
Male Artist of the Year
- Kabza De Small – KOA II Part 1
- AKA – Mass Country
- Sjava – Isibuko
- K.O – SR3
- Lloyiso – Seasons
Duo/Group of the Year
- DJ Maphorisa and Visca – Ba Straata
- Venom and Shishiliza – Love Is Pain
- Mafikizolo – Idwala
- DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small – Scorpion Kings Live Sun Arena
- Msaki and Tubatsi – Synthetic Hearts
Newcomer of the Year
- Myztro – 2.0 Nkwari,
- Blakka Yut – Unleashed
- Sincerely Anne – To Whom it May Concern
- Lloyiso – Seasons
- Venom and Shishiliza – Love Is Pain
Album of the Year
- Mass Country – AKA
- SR3 – K.O
- Isibuko – Sjava
- KOA II Part 1 – Kabza De Small
- Lavish Worship – Ntokozo Mbambo
Best Engineered Album
- To Whom it May Concern – Sincerely Anne (engineered and produced by Tjaart van der Walt and Daniel Baron)
- Mass Country – AKA (engineered & produced by Robin Kohl and Itu)
- Kanniedood – Francois van Coke (engineered & produced by Taylor Soundworks)
- Blk Elijah & The Children of Meroë – Thandi Ntuli (engineered & produced by Shane, Tshepo, Thandi & Clinton)
- Isibuko – Sjava, (engineered & produced by Ruff)
Best African Adult Contemporary Album
- Celebrating African Song – Dumza Maswana,
- Smile – Choko
- I am Gold – S’nazo
- Usiba Lwe Gazi – Nathi
- Ubuhle Ubuhle – Lethiwe Sithole
Best Alternative Album
- Glitch Vol 2: The Future Is Now – uBeyond
- Synthetic Hearts – Msaki and Tubatsi
- Blue Lawns – The Great Yawn
- Leaving All The Time – Bye Beneco
- On the Romance of Being – Desire Marea
Best Amapiano Album
- Amukelani – Kelvin Momo
- Ba Straata – DJ Maphorisa and Visca
- 2.0 Nkwari – Myztro
- KOA II Part 1 – Kabza De Small
- Scorpion Kings Live Sun Arena – DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small
Best Classical/Instrumental Album
- Live in Europe 22 – CH2
- Fire Beast – Vox Chamber Choir and Franco Prinsloo
- One Night On Earth – Derek Gripper
- Maike – Juliet String Quartet
- Sanctuary – Carol Thorns
Best Collaboration
- K.O, Young Stunna featuring Blxckie – Sete
- AKA featuring Nasty C – Lemons (Lemonade)
- DJ Maphorisa and Visca featuring 2woshortrsa, Stompiiey, ShaunMusiQ, Ftears and Madumane – Ba Straata
- Morda featuring Oscar Mbo and Murumba Pitch – Mohigan Sun
- AKA featuring Kiddominant – Company
Best Pop Album
- Things We Don’t Talk About – Jimmy Nevis
- Heard You Got Love – Jeremy Loops
- Game Over – Tyler Page
- Seasons – Lloyiso
- Petrichor – Amy Lilley
Best Produced Album
- KOA II Part 1 – Kabza De Small (producer: Leslie George Theko, Artwork Sound, Da Muziqal Chef, Mdu aka TRP, Stakev, DJ Maphorisa and Felo Le Tee)
- Things We Don’t Talk About – Jimmy Nevis (producer: Darren Petersen)
- Amukelani – Kelvin Momo (producer: Kelvin Momo)
- Lindokuhle – Lindokuhle (producer: Mthunzi, Howard, Herc, Tshepo Morone, DJ Maphorisa, Masiano)
- Isibuko – Sjava (producer: Delayde, Ruff, Jah Cool)
Best Produced Music Video
- Lemons (Lemonade) – AKA featuring Nasty C (producer: Tebogo Mabaso; director: Nate Thomas)
- Sete – K.O featuring Young Stunna & Blxckie (producer: K.O, Tsholofelo Moremedi, Ted Magerman; director: Ted Magerman)
- Be Free – Desire Marea (producer: Will Nicholson; Director: Imraan Christian
- Been Thinking – Tyla (producer: Jimi Adesanya; director: Meiji Alabi)
- Shine – Elaine (producer: Shayna Gianelli; director: Jesse Ray Diamond)
Best Reggae Album
- Unleashed – Blakka Yut
- Youth’s Cry – Botanist Mr Lamington
- Red Carpet Live – Maximum Stylez
- Flight More Riddim – Blackness Blue Productions
- Healing – Lavoro Duro
Beste Kontemporere Musiek Album
- Sing, Hoop, Weerklink – Prop
- Skree Net Sag – Alter Ego
- Ep In F – Herman Kleinhans
- Jagvat – Jan Rhaap
- Toe Roep Ek Jou Naam – Jan Blohm & Ryno Velvet
Remix of the Year
- Ndinovalo – Morda
- Sete – K.O featuring Young Stunna, Oxlade & Diamond Platnumz
- Hayii Citizen Deep Remix – Citizen Deep X Mzux Maen ft Yasmin Levy
- Au Dede – Karyendasoul
- Tobesta Remake – Myztro featuring Focalistic, Daliwonga, Shaunmusiq and Ftears
Rest of Africa Award
- Sad Romance – CKay
- Timeless – Davido
- Worry – Lyre
- Dynastie – Ferre Gola
- Sounds of Peace – Moreira Chonguiça
Best Gqom Album
- Meeting with the King – DJ Lag
- Fikelephi – Sizwe Mdlalose
- Love & Light – Cairo CPT
- Nande 2.0 – DJ Sandiso
- Ithuba – Newlandz Finest
Best African Indigenous Faith Album
- Emmanuel – JTG Gospel Choir
- Mantswe A Supileng – Spiritual Gospel Choir
- Ikhoni Mfuyo – In Zion of Christ
- Ba Ya Mo Nyatsa – Wacha Mkhukhu Wachumlilo
- Ntate Le Rato La Hao – Ingqayizivele Gospel Choir
Best Hip Hop Album
- Religion – MashBeatz
- Mass Country – AKA
- SR3 – K.O
- Life is Gangsta – Thato Saul
- Diaspora – Maglera Doe Boy
Best Jazz Album
- In the Spirit of Ntu – Nduduzo Makhathini
- Isambulu – Linda Sikhakhane
- Blk Elija & The Children of Meroe – Thandi Ntuli
- The 1st Gospel – Mthunzi Mvubu
- Finish the Sun – Shane Cooper and Mabuta
Best Kwaito Album
- Speak n Vrostaan – Kwesta and Kabza De Small
- R Mashesha – Big Nuz
- I Am Who I Am – Nkiyase
- Jukebox – Shisaboy
- Barabbas – Taylor K
Best Maskandi Album
- Umqhele Nethawula – Khuzani
- Ngeke Ungiphathe – Menzi
- Is’khiye Se-Coldroom – Thokozani Langa
- Iphakade Lami – Abafana Bakamgqumeni
- Home Alone – Inkos’yamagcokama
Best R&B Album
- But Could The Moments in Between – Ndumiso Manana
- Germander II – Lesego Kyle Mnyandu
- 4LUV (Deluxe) – Sihle Sithole
- Bad Weather – Nanette Siphesihle
- Passion Fruit – Kabomo
Best Traditional Album
- African Queen 2.0 – Makhadzi
- Ke Bone Molelo O Timile – MmaAusi
- A Reyeng Bahurutshe – Oarabele France Makgore
- Obe Happy – Molebatsi Tsotetsi
- Inkabi Nation – Big Zulu
Best Adult Contemporary Album
- Dark Secrets – Louise Carver
- Bait For Steps Forward – Nobuhle Ashanti
- Memories – Drakensberg Boys Choir
- Ndikhethiwe – Vusi Nova
- Love – Viwo Kulati
Best Dance Album
- Asante – Morda
- Next Level – Russell Zuma
- The Gospel According to Artwork Sounds – Grain
- WL4OM – Bonga Ntozini
- A New Dawn – Siyanda Makanya
Best Afropop Album
- Isibuko – Sjava
- From A God to A King – Kelly Khumalo
- Idwala – Mafikizolo
- Love is Pain – Venom
- Ekhayakomama – Philadlozi Mfekayi
Best Rock Album
- Kanniedood – Francois Badenhorst
- Fine Thanks, and You? – Russell Coward
- Hellcats – End of Days – Warwick Rautenbach/Alessandro Benigno
- Fuzigish – Malcolm King
- Testify – Basson Laubscher
Best Traditional Faith Album
- The Overflow – Dumi Mkokstad
- Hoja Ke Sena Wena – IPCC
- Ndiyabulela – Tsholofelo Ntuli
- The Grace Encounter Vol. 1 – Phumulani Radebe
- Sedi Laka – Brown Mosiapoa
Best Contemporary Faith Album
- Lavish Worship – Ntokozo Mbambo
- Mhalamhala – Brenden Praise
- Take Heart – Hle
- Restored: The Jesus Collective – The Jesus Collective
- Hope – Vincent Jiyane
Beste Pop
- Jona – Bernice van der Westhuizen
- Insomnia – Brendan Peyper
- Loufi Flippen Loufi – Ifan-Luc Carlo Handel
- Hittegolf – Brandon Eloff
- Die Onbekende – Renier van der Westhuizen
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