New crop of artists in line for top awards
THE NEW crop of artists making a big splash this year at the 26th annual SAMA awards is drawn mostly from the jazz and dance genres.
They include MFR Souls who are up for Best Collaboration for Love You Tonight, Best Kwaito Album for The Beginning, Best Produced Album for Scorpion Kings and Isiphithiphithi by Samthing Soweto, and their hit Love You Tonight is already nodded for MVOTY putting them at five nominations.
Rising jazz star Spha Mdlalose is up for Female Artist of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Best Jazz Album for Indlel’eyekhaya.
Ndabo Zulu & Umgidi Ensemble’s Queen Nandi: The African Symphony earned them the Duo/Group of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Best Jazz Album nominations.
Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane for Amanzi Nemifula: Umkhuleko received the Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Best Jazz Album nods.
The Afropop songbird Ami Faku impressed with her album Imali and secured the Female Artist of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Best Afro Pop Album nominations.
For his efforts in A David Kind of Psalm (Live), gospel crooner Sbu Noah, is in the running for Newcomer of the Year, Best Contemporary Faith Music Album and Best Live Audio Visual Recording.
Jazz’s Viwe Mkizwana has staked her claim for Newcomer of the Year and Best Jazz Album for her debut album Tributes.
RiSA announced this month that the annual SAMAs will be staged at its 26th edition over five nights, from August 3 to 7 at 9.30pm.
Due to the Covid-19 lockdown and physical distancing regulation, the party has moved from the Sun City Superbowl to be streamed on the My Muze by Vodacom platform and broadcast on Mzansi Magic, DStv channel 161.
Under the theme #ForThaKultcha, five 30-minute episodes with subthemes #ForThaRoots, #ForThaSoul, #ForThaStreets, #ForThaCraft culminating in #ForThaClub which will be a 45-minute-long grand finale, will present a unique SAMA26 virtual experience.
Nhlanhla Sibisi, RiSA chief executive said: “This year’s calibre of nominees continues in the proud tradition of the SAMAs to identify talent that may otherwise go unnoticed. I’m encouraged by the number of new talents that has earned recognition and they are all worthy of this honour. This will only augur well for the present and the future of the industry. I extend my congratulations to all nominees, the panels of judges and the team at RiSA who worked tirelessly to bring the SAMA26 to life.”