Zakes Bantwini leads the nominees list for #SAMA28 with a total of seven nominations. After already earning a nod in the Record of the Year (ROTY) category announced last week for Osama with Kasango, he bags additional six.
His album, Ghetto King, is up for Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Best Dance Album and Best Engineered Album awards. His two songs, Imali with Karyendasoul featuring Nana Atta and Osama with Kasango, are also in the running for Best Collaboration award.
Already with a Music Video of the Year (MVOTY) and four ROTY nominations under his belt, DJ Maphorisa’s Best Remix of the year nomination for Feel Good brings his SAMA28 tally to six.
Mobi Dixon and Msaki are not far behind with four nominations each. Mobi’s When House Was House contends for Best Dance Album, Album of the Year and Male Artist of the Year awards. The album’s title track featuring Mariechan and JNR SA has booked a spot in the Best Produced Music Video category.
East London born Msaki is up for Female Artist of the Year, Best Adult Contemporary Album and Best Produced Album of the Year for her Platinumb Heart Open offering. She will also be vying for the Best Collaboration gong for her effort with Da Capo titled No Rainbow.
White Star returns as the sponsor of the Newcomer of the Year category and the nominees are Thapelo Lekoane for Tapestry, Khanyisile Mthetwa for African Bird, 25K for Pheli Makaveli, Ncebakazi Msomi for The 34th Psalm and Botanist Mr Lamington for The Shift.
Brian Temba, Sun-El Musician and Chymamusique earned three nods a-piece and will battle it out for Album of the Year and Male Artist of the Year awards. Khanyisile Mthetwa matches the trio with three nods for White Star Newcomer of the Year and Best Classical/Instrumental Album and Female Artist of the Year. Other nominees for Female Artist of the Year are Msaki, Kamo Mphela, Reign Afrika and Shekhinah
The awards will be presented at a live event to be broadcast on 31 July 2022 on SABC1.
“SABC1 prides itself on being the platform that unearths and recognizes talent. With each year of the partnership, The South African Music Awards and SABC1, as a collective, shines a light on the music industry and the artists in their respective genres. A huge congratulations to all the nominees that have made it through this year, sithi umculo uhamba pambili.”- Thulisile Nhlapo – Acting Channel Head.
Nhlanhla Sibisi RiSA CEO congratulated the nominees: “A job well done to all #SAMA28 nominees. Each artist has laboured to ensure that they produce exceptional bodies of work which have soothed and united us during particularly challenging times. The standard of this year’s submissions was impressive and presented a tough task for our panel of diligent judges. We wish all nominees good luck and look forward to celebrating them at our gala event.”
