The non-broadcast awards of the SA Music Awards (SAMA) honoured some of the nation’s biggest hitmakers at the Sun City Superbowl, North West tonight.
Sun ElMusician won the Best Collaboration Award for his runaway hit Akanamali featuring Samthing Soweto. It went on to clinch SAMPRA Highest Airplay Song of the Year and Samro Highest Airplay Composer’s Award.
Gospel ensemble Joyous Celebration took a double home when they won Best Selling DVD and Best Selling Album for Volume 21 Heal our Land.
Mafikizolo, the Afropop superband, bagged the gong for Best Engineered Album for their 20th year commemorative release aptly titled 20.
Donald’s slick Red Mic Xperience Live DVD was awarded the Best Live Audio Visual Recording/DVD, while Simphiwe Dana’s sublime The Simphiwe Dana Symphony Experience was declared the Best African Artist Album. The erudite Nduduzo Makhathini won the Best Jazz Album for Ikhambi.
Smooth crooner Afrotraction beat stiff competition to win Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album for Relationships. Legendary Afrikaans singer Kurt Darren secured the Beste Pop Album for Laat Die Dansvloer Brand.
Gospel maestro Nqubeko Mbatha walked away with the Best Contemporary Faith Music Album for Heaven’s Ways, while the collaboration between Wouter Kellerman and Soweto Gospel Choir yielded the Best Contemporary Album award for Symphonic Soweto. Jessica Mbangeni’s Jessica Mbangeni Sings iGoli Live @ Lyric Theatre Johannesburg secured her the Best Traditional Music Album.
The talented Encore registered their first SAMA when they scooped the Best Remix of the Year award for I Got You. Another newcomer to the SAMA, Rouge, won the Music Video of the Year trophy.
It was a night of celebration and fashion as celebrities lit up the red carpet in Sun City and performances on the Sun City Superbowl stage had the audience on their feet. The likes of nominees such as Shane Eagle, Ntando, Tribute Birdie Mboweni, Thabsie, Zoe Modiga, Tresor and Wouter Kellerman performed some of the biggest songs of the year.
Late musicians Hugh Masekela, Robbie Malinga and Ray Phiri were among those honoured in the In Memoriam section.
Enthused RiSA CEO Nhlanhla Sibisi: ‘Tonight has been exceptionally good. We are proud of the nominees and those who emerged as winners. Let this be just the push they need to reach greater heights, we at SAMA salute and honour them.’
“This was a roaring start to the SAMA 24 event,” commented Daddy Sebolecwe, Communications Director for sponsors, the North West Department of Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs. “The first night set the tone for this year’s SAMA event. We are proud to be part of such a prestigious ceremony.”
The broadcast ceremony goes live on SABC1 at 8pm tomorrow.
Tickets are on sale at Ticketpro from R395 to R795
Complete list of tonight’s winners
- Best Adult Contemporary Album – Symphonic Soweto by Wouter Kellerman and Soweto Gospel Choir
- Best African Adult Contemporary Album – Ilanga by Siseko Pame
- Best Alternative Music Album – Mangaliso by Bongeziwe Mabandla
- Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album – Relationships by Afrotraction
- Best Contemporary Faith Music Album – Heaven’s Ways by Nqubeko Mbatha
- Beste Pop Album – Laat Die Dansvloer Brand by Kurt Darren
- Best Jazz Album – Ikhambi by Nduduzo Makhathini
- Best Classical and/or Instrumental Album – Baroqueswing Vol. III by Charl du Plessis Trio
- Best Traditional Music Album – Jessica Mbangeni Sings iGoli Live @ Lyric Theatre Johannesburg by Jessica Mbangeni
- Best African Artist Album – The Simphiwe Dana Symphony Experience by Simphiwe Dana
- Best Live Audio Visual Recording/ DVD – Red Mic Xperience by Donald – Produced by Robin Kohl
- Best Collaboration – Akanamali by Sun El Musician featuring Samthing Soweto
- Music Video of the Year – Arumtumtum by Rouge – Directed by Alex Fynn
- Best Produced Album – Late Night People by Goldfish – Produced by Dominic Peters and David Poole
- Best Engineered Album – 20 by Mafikizolo – Engineered by Howard Gomba and Themba Sekowe
- Remix of the Year – I Got You by Encore remixed by Mobi Dixon
- Best Selling DVD – Joyous Celebration Volume 21 Heal our Land
- Best Selling Album – Joyous Celebration Volume 21 Heal our Land
- CAPASSO Best Selling Digital Download Composer – Timothy Bambela Myeni
The annual South African Music Awards (SAMAs) are organised by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) in partnership with the North West Department of Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs.
SABC is the official broadcast partner.
The main SAMA24 award ceremony takes place in Sun City, North West on 2 June 2018
Social media handles:
Instagram: @thesamas_
Twitter: @TheSAMAs
YouTube: samusicawards
Facebook: South African Music Awards
Hashtag: #SAMA24
Website: www.samusicawards.co.za