Publications
The news is out, and it is confirmed that the local radio station, Metro FM, will bring back the Metro FM Music Awards (MMAs) after a five-year hiatus.
The popular awards show last happened in 2017 and there were even rumours that it would return in 2019 according to an article published by the Sowetan four years ago.
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This time around, the highly anticipated event will take place in the City of Mbombela, Mpumalanga, on April 29. It seems the awards ceremony is taking it all the way to the top this time, as the announcement was made at The Capital, a breathtaking hotel, which showcases the best of Mbombela’s natural and modernised beauty.
With the countdown to the MMAs finally on, there’s a lot to be excited about. We spoke to Metro FM's business manager, Kina Nhlengethwa, who also took a brief hiatus from the radio station in 2015, after working with them since 2005, only to return in 2019.
“It feels really good to be back and to be a part of bringing the MMAs back. There have been a lot of changes since I've been back, but I really didn’t want to break things that were not broken, so it only felt right to look at how we could bring the MMAs back, and then just work on how we could make it better after being out of that space for so long,” she said.
Metro FM has been one of South Africa’s biggest plugs for local talent, playing almost 50% of local musicians' songs on its radio station, its local-is-lekker approach to South African music means that we’ll definitely be learning about new and fresh artists within the local scene,
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Nhlengethwa spoke more about the legacy of Metro FM and the ways it has been a staple in her day-to-day life, saying.
“I think Metro is such an empowering radio station. It’s definitely had a positive effect on my life and I know that so many people in South Africa really appreciate what the station stands for. Radio station formats are completely different from television and film - something that works today may not work tomorrow, so I think Metro has been able to keep up with the changes in a way that always feels fresh. I know I am always listening to the station whenever I can.”
This year, the awards ceremony has a lot of surprises, hosting some of their more classic categories. However, Nhlengethwa noted that audiences can expect some new material, with possible categories that are a reflection of our digitising world.
“I can’t say too much, but we have looked at absolutely everything. We know that things have changed since we last had the MMAs. Social media is playing such a big role today, and people are discovering artists through their cellular devices, so we will definitely show our appreciation for the digital world,” she laughed.
Unfortunately, Nhlengethwa couldn’t spill too many beans about this year’s MMA theme, or some of the nominees we could look forward to. It looks like we’ll just have to wait and see. But, it’s good to have the Metro FM Awards back and better.
