SA music comes of age with Sama
2007-03-09 12:00
Johannesburg - Nominees for the 13th Annual MTN SA Music Awards were announced at a star-studded ceremony at Johannesburg's stylish Design Quarter on Thursday, reflecting a year in which both newcomers and established artists earned multiple nominations.
Leading the field are previous best newcomer and best jazz vocal album winner in 2005, Simphiwe Dana, Vusi Mahlasela who won three Samas in 1998 and newcomer, Siphokazi.
All three received five nominations in the year in which the country's foremost music award's event reaches teenagedom.
Both the young, female artists, Dana and Siphokazi hail from the Eastern Cape.
Dana and her album The One Love Movement on Bantu Biko Street are in the running for Album of the Year, Best Female Artist, Contemporary Jazz, Vocal Jazz and Best Producer (Bheki Khoza).
Siphokazi and her first-ever solo recording, Ubuntu Bam are up for Best Newcomer, Best Female Artist, Album of the Year, Producer of the Year (Lawrence Majiza) and Best Adult Contemporary Album: African.
Vusi Mahlasela has been nominated as Best Male Artist
Veteran Afro-folk singer and songwriter, Vusi Mahlasela has been nominated as Best Male Artist and his album Naledi Ya Tsela has been nominated for Album of the Year and Best Adult Contemporary Album: African while Lloyd Ross is nominated for Best Producer and Best Engineer for his work on the recording.
Afro-pop stalwarts, Mafikizolo and jazz artist Bheki Khoza have both garnered four nominations.
No less than thirteen artists earned three nominations each:
indie rock newcomers Cassette,
Afrikaans indie artist Chris Chameleon,
jazz stalwart Paul Hanmer,
newcomer solo recording artist Rae,
urban dance pioneer DJ S'bu,
pop group Jamali,
longstanding rockers Just Jinjer,
kwaito innovator Kabelo,
Afrikaans pop artist Kurt Darren,
singer-songwriter Ringo,
Maskandi group Shwi No Mtekhala
urban pop first-timer Maduvha,
and fellow urban pop debutant Lesego.
One of the most significant trends this year is the substantial increase in entries from the Afrikaans recorded music sector, reflecting a year in which its impact on the overall music industry was seen in an exceptionally strong market share.
In the categories Best Afrikaans Traditional Music Album, Best Adult Contemporary Album: Afrikaans, Best Kiddies Album Afrikaans, Best Rock Album (Afrikaans), Best Pop Album (Afrikaans), and Best Afrikaans Dance Album the variety and quality of Afrikaans language recordings is impressive.
13th Annual MTN SA Music Awards take place at Sun City
The 13th Annual MTN SA Music Awards take place at Sun City on April 13th and 14th and will be broadcast live from the Superbowl on April 14th at 20h00.
Recording artist, and multi Sama-winner, Kabelo, will present the broadcast event, marking the first time an artist has occupied this position.
On the net:
www.samusicawards.co.za