South African Music Awards 2023: All the nominees

The announcement, made at the Soweto Theatre in Jabulani on 3 October, is a culmination of months of behind-the-scenes preparations as committees of officials from major and independent labels finalised the rules, judging criteria and selection of judges.

The judges are drawn from the music industry and ancillary professionals in media, academic institutions and cultural bodies.

Organised by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA), this year’s awards, dubbed #SAMA29, will celebrate top albums and singles released between 1 February 2022 and 14 April 2023.

“We are proud to present the class of SAMA29 who over a 14-month period put out some of the best tunes, collaborations and music videos in the country,” RiSA CEO Nhlanhla Sibisi said. “We commend their artistry, resilience and tenacity that have led to them rising to the top and positioning themselves to be in line for the highest music accolade South Africa can bestow on an artist. We wish them well as we embark on the road to #SAMA29 in KwaZulu-Natal.”

The nominees cut across a variety of genres and reflect the vibrant South African music scene. The late rapper AKA leads the nominees with seven nods for his posthumous album Mass Country. Other top nominees are rapper K.O with six nominations, Sjava with four and amapiano artist Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa who earned four and three nominations apiece, respectively. The latter two further walked away with two nods for their collaboration as Scorpion Kings.

Sincerely Anne bagged three nods for Newcomer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year and Best Engineered Album for To Whom it May Concern. Ntokozo Mbambo’s Lavish Worship is the only album by a woman competing in the Album of the Year category. She is also up for the Female Artist of the Year and Best Contemporary Faith Album awards.

Below is the full list of 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