Saturday was a massive night for Afro-soul sensation Nathi Mankayi, who was crowned king of the 22nd Annual South African Music Awards at the Durban ICC, beating out stiff challenges from established superstars and fellow newcomers alike.
Nathi, whose album Buyelekhaya and single Nomvula sent the nation into a collective swoon last year, scooped five awards at #SAMA22 – for Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album, Best Newcomer (supported by Apple Music), Best Male Artist, Best-selling Full-track Music Download and Best-selling Album of the Year.
Nipping at the young Eastern Cape-born hitmaker’s heels was iconic DJ and producer Black Coffee, with four #SAMA22 trophies on the night – for Best Dance Album, Best Engineered Album and Album of the Year (served hot by Nescafé) for Pieces of Me, as well as the International Achievement Award in recognition of his meteoric rise in the global dance scene.
The highly contested Amstel Record of the Year award, which is the only public voting category of the night, went to Roll Up by Emtee, after South Africa’s avid music fans scrambled to vote using the #SAMA22 USSD platform ahead of the cut-off time during the awards ceremony.
The awards, which were held for the first time in eThekwini, saw an array of spectacular live performances and electrifying mash-ups that kept the energy levels and anticipation at fever pitch throughout the evening. The ceremony was broadcast live on SABC1.
“We extend our warmest congratulations to all the nominees and victors, but in truth, South African music was the real winner here tonight,” said an elated Refiloe Ramogase, CEO of the South African Music Awards.
“The quality of the recordings and live performances celebrated at #SAMA22 bears testimony to the fact that South African music is in a highly innovative, world-beating and dynamic place at the moment. It certainly appears that the sky’s the limit for our exceptional community of South African musicians.”
Another big winner on the night was gospel artist Sfiso Ncwane, who raked in three SAMAs for his smash hit single Bayede Baba: Best-selling Music Download, Best-selling Ring-back Tone, and the CAPASSO Composers’ Award for Best-selling Digital Download. Ncwane’s album won the Best Traditional Faith Music Album category at last year’s SAMAs.
Kwaito act Dbn Nyts also scooped three awards for their monster single Shumaya: Best Collaboration, the SAMPRA Highest Radio Airplay Award and the SAMRO Composers’ Award for Highest Radio Airplay.
Big Nuz beat out a tough field to claim Best Kwaito Album honours, as well as the trophy for Best Duo/Group of the Year. Emtee converted one of his four #SAMA22 nominations into a win in another fiercely fought category – Best Rap Album.
Zonke took home the laurels in the Best Female Artist category, while two of her fellow nominees in that category, Judith Sephuma and Zahara (Robbie Malinga – producer), also claimed one SAMA statuette apiece – for Best Adult Contemporary Album and Best Produced Album, respectively.
Desmond & the Tutus slam-dunked the SAMA for Best Rock Album, with Petite Noir claiming victory in the Best Alternative Album category. Best Jazz Album honours went to Marcus Wyatt and the ZAR Jazz Orchestra, while Grammy-winning flautist Wouter Kellerman made it his second SAMA in a row in the Best Classical and/or Instrumental Album category.
Tresor emerged as the champion in the Best Pop Album race, while the Afrikaans counterpart category, Beste Pop Album, saw Karlien van Jaarsveld do the victory lap. Former Idols winner Elvis Blue has added yet another SAMA to his trophy cabinet, for Beste Kontemporêre Musiek Album.
Best African Adult Album laurels went to Dizu Plaatjies & Friends and Imithente won the SAMA for Best Maskandi Album. TYGC Family and Ntokozo Mbambo triumphed in the categories for best traditional faith and contemporary faith albums, respectively.
Another firm local gospel favourite, Joyous Celebration, claimed success in the Best-selling DVD category, while Jimmy Dludlu was named the best of the best in the stakes for Best Live Audiovisual Recording of the year. The pairing of Jack Parow and Freshly Ground aced the Best Music Video category for Army of One, with DJ Sliqe winning Best Remix.
Lifetime Achievement Awards (sponsored by Telkom) were awarded to late music legends Nana Coyote and Bhekumuzi Luthuli, as well as to fellow industry stalwart Roger Lucey.
The results for the 22nd Annual South African Music Awards, organised by RiSA, were independently audited by SizweNtsalubaGobodo.
Winners of the 22nd Annual South African Music Awards:
Album of the Year (served hot by Nescafe)
Black Coffee – Pieces of Me
Duo or Group of the Year
Big Nuz – For the Fans
Female Artist of the Year (Brought to you by Metro FM)
Zonke – Work of Heart
Male Artist of the Year (Brought to you by Umhlobo Wenene FM)
Nathi – Buyelekhaya
Newcomer of the Year (Supported by Apple Music)
Nathi – Buyelekhaya
Best Rock Album
Desmond & the Tutus – Enjoy Yourself
Best Pop Album (Brought to you by 5FM)
Tresor – VII
Beste Pop Album (Afrikaans)
Karlien van Jaarsveld – My Hartjie
Best Adult Contemporary Album
Judith Sephuma – One Word
Beste Kontemporêre Musiek Album
Elvis Blue – Êrens in die Middel van Nêrens
Best African Adult Album
Dizu Plaatjies & Friends – Ubuntu – The Common String
Best Alternative Album
Petite Noir – La Vie Est Belle/Life is Beautiful
Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album
Nathi – Buyelekhaya
Best Rap Album
Emtee – Avery
Best Kwaito Album (Brought to you by Ukhozi FM)
Big Nuz – For the Fans
Best Dance Album
Black Coffee – Pieces of Me
Best Traditional Faith Music Album
TYGC Family – The Journey Begins
Best Contemporary Faith Music Album
Ntokozo Mbambo – Spirit and Life
Best Maskandi Album (Brought to you by Ukhozi FM and KUMISA)
Imithente – Ichakijana
Best Jazz Album (Brought to you by Metro FM)
Marcus Wyatt & the ZAR Jazz Orchestra – One Night in the Sun
Best Classical and/or Instrumental Album
Wouter Kellerman – Love Language
Best Live Audiovisual Recording
Jimmy Dludlu – Live at Emperors Palace
Best Collaboration
Dbn Nyts ft. Zinhle Ngidi & Trademark – Shumaya
Best Music Video of the Year
Jack Parow & Freshly Ground – Army of One
Best Produced Album of the Year
Zahara – Country Girl
Best Engineered Album of the Year
Black Coffee – Pieces of Me
Best Remix of the Year
DJ Sliqe – Do Like I Do Remix
SPECIAL AWARDS
International Achievement Award – Black Coffee
Lifetime Achievement Awards (Brought to you by Telkom)– Nana Coyote (posthumous award), Bhekumuzi Luthuli (posthumous award), Roger Lucey
BEST SELLING ALBUMS & MUSIC DOWNLOADS OF THE YEAR
Best Selling Album – Nathi (Buyelekhaya)
Best Selling DVD – Joyous Celebration (Volume 19: Back to the Cross)
Best Selling Overall Music Download – Sfiso Ncwane (Bayede Baba)
Best Selling Music Download (Ring-back Tone) – Sfiso Ncwane (Bayede Baba)
Best Selling Full-track Music Download – Nathi (Nomvula)
SAMPRA AWARD
Highest Radio Airplay of the Year – DBN Nyts (Shumaya)
SAMRO AWARD
Highest Radio Airplay Composers’ Award – Samkele Maphumulo, Kabelo Masekane, Cebo Ngcobo, Wanda Shabalala and Lwazi Yokwana for Shumaya by Dbn Nyts
CAPASSO AWARD
Best Selling Digital Download Composers’ Award – Sfiso Ncwane (Bayede Baba)
AMSTEL RECORD OF THE YEAR
Roll Up by Emtee
The South African Music Awards are organised by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA). The City of Durban is the hosting partner for the 22nd Annual South African Music Awards; the SABC is the official broadcast partner; Apple Music and iTunes is the digital music partner; and PRASA is the transport partner. The #SAMA22 app is available to download for all Android devices via the Google Play Store and on iOS.
Follow the South African Music Awards on the following digital platforms:
@OfficialSAMAs (www.twitter.com/OfficialSAMAs)
Amstel Record of the Year hashtag: #AmstelROTY
SAMA 22 hashtag: #SAMA22
Website: www.samusicawards.co.za
South African Music Awards (www.facebook.com/SAMusicAwards)
Apple/iTunes Music: www.applemusic.com/SAMA22
Mobisite: www.samatv.mobi
Instagram: @OfficialSAMAs
YouTube channel: samusicawards (www.youtube.com/samusicawards)
samusicawards (www.flickr.com/samusicawards)