Young stars dominate as nominees revealed for SA Music Awards

Accueil/Non classé/Young stars dominate as nominees revealed for SA Music Awards

With a wide variety of genres sharing the spotlight, five acts lead the pack with an impressive four nominations each: Afro-soul newcomer Nathi, house supremo Black Coffee, rising rappers Riky Rick and Emtee and sultry songbird Zonke Dikana

Young blood features strongly in this year’s nominations, with three of the five Album of the Year nominees being breakthrough artists – Emtee, Nathi and DRC-born pop-folk sensation Tresor – who willl be competing against seasoned campaigners Francois van Coke and Black Coffee. The same three young guns will also vie against Riky Rick and Fifi Cooper in the Best Newcomer category.

Artists and bands that have been singled out for creative excellence this year by bagging three nominations each include jazzman Marcus Wyatt and the ZAR Jazz Orchestra, house trio Mi Casa, DJ Mobi Dixon, Afro-soul songstress Zahara, Tresor and Afrikaans rockers Van Coke and Karen Zoid.

The race for Best Male Artist is guaranteed to be a closely fought one, with globe-trotting superstar Black Coffee and influential rock rebel Van Coke hoping that experience will see them triumph over newbies Nathi, Riky Rick and Emtee. In the Best Female Artist category, the three Zs – Zoid, Zonke and Zahara – will battle it out for top honours with Fifi Cooper and Judith Sephuma.

Adding a pan-African spin to this year’s awards, West African stars Burna Boy, Patoranking and Stonebwoy feature on tracks nominated in the Best Collaboration category.

In the Best Music Video of the Year category, ‘Ayadelela’ by iFani and ‘Fuseg’ by Riky Rick ft. Cassper Nyovest and Anatii are up against videos from Al Bairre and PH Fat (‘Caviar Dreams’), Jack Parow and Freshlyground (‘Army of One’), and Monark’s ‘Negatives Deluxe’

The contenders for this year’s awards were announced amid great excitement and anticipation in Soweto, Johannesburg on Thursday 21 April.

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), official transport sponsor of the SAMAs, ferried the VIP guests and media on the Metrorail Business Express to the Soweto Theatre, a landmark venue in Jabulani in the heart of Soweto, for the nominations “reveal”. Guests were escorted into the venue and then entertained by young performers from the Morris Isaacson High School, the school that 40 years ago played a major role in the Soweto Uprising of 1976.

SAMA Chairperson Refiloe Ramogase welcomed everyone with a poignant speech about the stance that the annual awards have taken this year with the statement that “The Future is Here”. “Soweto not only serves as a reminder of the selfless bravery of our youth 40 years ago, but also reminds us that actions motivated by yesterday, taken today, set the course for the tomorrow. If one is bold enough, one can change not only the course of history, but the course of the future, » said Ramogase.

“This is the dawn of a bold new horizon within the Industry: the mass adoption of technology, the rise of the independent label, the endless stream of new distribution channels, seemingly limitless opportunities for cross-genre collaboration, virtual reality concerts on your phone, digital maskandi, urban Gospel – all indicators of the transformation of our musical landscape,” added Ramogase.

Hosted by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RISA), the 22nd annual South African Music Awards will take place on Saturday 4 June for the first time in Durban, at the coastal city’s International Convention Centre (ICC),

Durban’s mayor James Nxumalo said: « For us as the City of Durban, we are very excited to host the SAMAs. The City of Durban has worked hard to build its brand, and our partnership with the SAMAs will further strengthen the position of Durban as the number one tourism destination in the country and one of the best in the world. As the City of Durban we are ready to welcome the music and entertainment industry to Durban, the warmest place to be!”

The full list of nominees for the 22nd SAMAs are as follows:

Album of the Year

Francois van Coke – Francois van Coke
Emtee – Avery
Nathi – Buyelekhaya
Tresor – VII
Black Coffee – Pieces of Me

Duo or Group of the Year

Desmond & the Tutus – Enjoy Yourself
Witness the Funk – Finding Nomusa
Marcus Wyatt & the ZAR Jazz Orchestra – One Night in the Sun
Junior Taurus & Lady Zamar – Cotton Candy
Big Nuz – For the Fans

Female Artist of the Year

Judith Sephuma – One Word
Zahara – Country Girl
Fifi Cooper – 20Fifi
Karen Zoid – Drown Out the Noise
Zonke – Work of Heart

Male Artist of the Year

Nathi – Buyelekhaya
Black Coffee – Pieces of Me
Riky Rick – Family Values
Emtee – Avery
Francois van Coke – Francois van Coke

Newcomer of the Year

Riky Rick – Family Values
Emtee – Avery
Tresor – VII
Fifi Cooper – 20Fifi
Nathi – Buyelekhaya

Best Rock Album

Desmond & the Tutus – Enjoy Yourself
Francois van Coke – Francois van Coke
Shortstraw – Youthless
Karen Zoid – Drown Out the Noise
Saarkie – Reisiger

Best Pop Album

Tresor – VII
Lakota Silva – Pop: The Mix Tape
Loki Rothman – The Way Back
Can Skylark – Overdrive
Vincent Bones – Shaded Soul

Beste Pop Album (Afrikaans)

Karlien van Jaarsveld – My Hartjie
Brendan Peyper – Stop, Wag, Bly Nog ’n Bietjie
Vaughan Gardiner – Sit Vanaand op Herhaal
Pierre Rossouw – In my Bloed
Suzanne – Vuurbestand

Best Adult Contemporary Album

Judith Sephuma – One Word
Watershed – Watch the Rain
Karen Zoid & Various – Republiek van Zoid Afrika Vol. 2
Kahn – Salt
Josie Field & Laurie Levine – Tigerlily

Beste Kontemporêre Musiek Album

Elvis Blue – Êrens in die Middel van Nêrens
Andriëtte – Pêrel vir ’n Kroon
Neil Somers – Hierdie Hande
Bok van Blerk – Sing Afrikaner Sing
Stiaan Reynierse – Sonde

Best African Adult Album

Dizu Plaatjies & Friends – Ubuntu: The Common String
Kabomo – Sekusile
Thiwe – Soul Therapy
L’wei Netshivhale – Mudzimu washu
Jessica Mbangeni – Busisiwe: Tribute to the African Heroines

Best Alternative Album

Petite Noir – La Vie Est Belle/Life is Beautiful
Sannie Fox – Serpente Masjien
The Plastics – In Threes
Moonchild Sanelly – Rabulapha!
Die Heuwels Fantasties – Ja. Nee. Lekker (Deluxe)

Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album

Nathi – Buyelekhaya
Zonke – Work of Heart
Olwethu – Imbewu
Zahara – Country Girl
The Muffinz – Do What You Love

Best Rap Album

Emtee – Avery
Kid X – 3 Quarter Pace
Da L.E.S – North God
Riky Rick – Family Values
Zakwe – Impande

Best Kwaito Album

Big Nuz – For the Fans
Dbn Nyts – Believe
Kabelo Mabalane – Immortal Vol. 3
DJ Bongz – Game Changer
Mzansi – North Coast Vibe

Best Dance Album

Black Coffee – Pieces of Me
Mi Casa – Home Sweet Home
Mobi Dixon – Tribal Soul Special Edition
DJ Merlon – Original Copy
Junior Taurus & Lady Zamar – Cotton Candy

Best Traditional Faith Music Album

TYGC Family – The Journey Begins
Worship House – Project 12 Praise Live
Worship House – True Worship 2015
Dumi Mkokstad – Ukhona Uthixo
Various Artists – Women in Praise

Best Contemporary Faith Music Album

Ntokozo Mbambo – Spirit and Life
Mark Counihan – To the Brave Ones
Mahalia Buchanan – Redeemed to Worship
24 Skies – Endless Anthem
Benjamin Dube – Sanctified in His Presence

Best Maskandi Album

Imithente – Ichakijana
Thokozani Langa – Khuzeka Mshana
Shwi no Mtekhala – Bazali Bami
Buselaphi – Gabi Gabi
Phuzekhemisi – Woze Durban

Best Jazz Album

Marcus Wyatt & the ZAR Jazz Orchestra – One Night in the Sun
Nduduzo Makhathini – Listening to the Ground
Benjamin Jephta Quintet – Homecoming
Amandla Freedom Ensemble – Bhekisiwe
Bokani Dyer – World Music

Best Classical and/or Instrumental Album

Wouter Kellerman – Love Language
Guy Buttery – Guy Buttery
Deep South – Heartland
Cape Consort – Christoph & Sebastian
KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra – Mintirho ya SJ Khosa

Best Live Audiovisual Recording

Jimmy Dludlu – Live at Emperors Palace
Krone – Krone 2
Ntokozo Mbambo – Spirit and Life
Neyi & Omega – Friends in Praise
Benjamin Dube – Sanctified in His Presence

Best Collaboration

Dbn Nyts ft. Zinhle Ngidi & Trademark – ‘Shumaya’
Shekinah x Kyle Deutsch – ‘Back to the Beach’
AKA ft. Redsan, Burna Boy & Stonebwoy – ‘All Eyes on Me’
Major League DJz ft. Cassper Nyovest, Okmalumkoolkat, Riky Rick & Carpo – ‘Slyza Tsotsi’
Khuli Chana ft. Patoranking – No Lie

Best Music Video of the Year

Jack Parow & Freshly Ground – ‘Army of One’
Riky Rick ft. Cassper Nyovest & Anatii – ‘Fuseg’
Al Bairre & PH Fat – ‘Caviar Dreams’
iFani – ‘Ayadelela’
Monark – ‘Negatives Deluxe’

Best Produced Album of the Year

Zahara – Country Girl
Mi Casa – Home Sweet Home
Sannie Fox – Serpente Masjien
Mark Counihan – To the Brave Ones
Zonke – Work of Heart

Best Engineered Album of the Year

Black Coffee – Pieces of Me
Brendan Peyper – Stop, Wag, Bly Nog ’n Bietjie
Zonke – Work of Heart
Mi Casa – Home Sweet Home
Marcus Wyatt & the ZAR Jazz Orchestra – One Night in the Sun

Best Remix of the Year

DJ Sliqe – ‘Do Like I Do’ Remix
AKA – ‘Baddest Remix’
Mobi Dixon – ‘My Sugar’
Mobi Dixon – ‘Never Let Me Go’ Remix
The Fraternity – ‘Bheka Mina Ngedwa’ Amplified

The shortlist of nominees for the Amstel Record of the Year will be announced on SABC1’s Live Amp this Friday 22 April, with the public being invited to vote for their favourite song of 2015.

Certain other categories don’t have nominees and their winners will be announced at the awards ceremony. These include the special International and Lifetime Achievement Awards, the Best-Selling Mobile Music Download categories (Best Selling Album, DVD, Mobile Music Download, True-Tone, Ring-Back Tone and Full-Track Download), as well as the SAMPRA Award for Highest Airplay of the Year.

For updates and more details, visit the SAMA website.