The winner is...
HANG ON, WAIT FOR GENERATIONS TO FINISH!
SABC1’S Generations had a major impact on the decision to host the South African Music Awards’ (Samas) main event tomorrow at 8.30pm – when the soap is over – in order to reach as wide an audience as the serial drama.
The Samas occur in two segments: the technical aspects of music, felt to be too esoteric for TV audiences, take place tonight and won t be broadcast live. ’ But tomorrow’s event, which has the most anticipated category – record of the year – from the point of view of the public, who vote for the winner, will be held tomorrow night and will be broadcast live on SABC1 at 8.30pm, after Generations , which has the largest viewership of any show on South African TV.
Itching to snatch the highest TV audience rating, the Sama committee decided to hold the main Sama event on Monday and was able to persuade the SABC to jettison normal programming – but not Generations, which will be the bait to keep viewers at home watching.
Sama CEO Randall Abrahams says: “It’s important that the Samas ... reach as many as possible at home. Fortunately, our media partners SABC came to the table and understood our position.”
TS Records, long missing from the awards, dominate the shortlist of five nominations after soliciting music fans to vote.
In addition to arming hordes of fans with airtime units to vote by phone, TS Records were hard at work on social Internet sites such as Twitter and Facebook, urging music fans to vote for both Zahara ’ s Loliwe and DJ Sbu’s remix of the song.
Though predictions are a journalist’s worst nightmare, it can be hazarded that Zahara is odds-on favourite to be artist of the year.
Internationally-renowned Ladysmith Black Mambazo (LMB) give Zahara a credible run for her money. LMB is nominated in most categories Zahara is in.
Zonke, too, along with outsiders such as Micasa and Zakwe, contest with LMB and Zahara for the premier album of the year award. Both Zahara and LMB have their noses in front for this one. Anything else would be a travesty.
Zahara will clearly also walk away with female artist of the year, unless the Sama judges want to lose all credibility.
There is discontent that Jimmy Dludlu even made it into the Samas male artist of the year with the most tired sounding album yet. But the late Bhekumuzi Luthuli with Isipho (Gift) and AKA by Alta Ego ought to put paid to Dludlu’ dreams.
Black Coffee won’t contest alone in remix of the year – he has strong opposition from DJ Sbu’s remix of Loliwe .
The category of gospel, renamed faith music, best traditional and best contemporary are fresh this year, with unusual nominees.
Swaizi Dlamini or We Are The Shining are likely to walk off with best contemporary faith music album for their Gospel Meets Jazz Live in Durban and The Plain Truth respectively.
Sifiso Ncwane or Nqubeko Mbatha are likely to win best traditional faith music album for their Kulungile Baba and Forever I’ll Worship respectively.
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