Nominees for the 29th edition of the South African Music Awards (SAMAs) were announced on Tuesday, at the Jabulani Theatre in Soweto.
The awards are set to take place on the weekend of 17 and 18 November at the Durban ICC and will be broadcast live on SABC 1.
Economic Development and Environmental Affairs MEC Siboniso Duma said: “We are looking forward to hosting thousands of music lovers and tourists who will visit our province ahead of the Samas and during the event itself.”
Just as it happened at the South African Hip Hop Awards 2023, AKA and K.O bagged the most nominations.
Kiernan “AKA” Forbes is leading the pack with six nods, while K.O was nominated at 5 categories.
Full list of SAMA 2023 nominees below:
Female Artist of the Year:
Kelly Khumalo – From A God To A King
Ntokozo Mbambo – Lavish Worship
Sincerely Anne – To Whom It May Concern
Hle – Take Heart
Thandi Ntuli – Blk Elijah & The Children of Meroë
Male Artist of the Year:
Kabza De Small 0 KOA || Part 1
AKA – Mass Country
Sjava – Isibuko
K.O – SR3
Lloyiso – Seasons
Duo/Group of the Year:
DJ Maphorisa and Visca – Ba Straata
Venom and Shishiliza – Love Is Pain
Mafikizolo – Idwala
DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small – Scorpion Kings Live Sun Arena
Msaki and Tubatsi – Synthetic Hearts
Newcomer of the Year:
Myztro – 2.0 Nkwari
Blakka Yut – Unleashed
Sincerely Anne – To Whom It May Concern
Lloyiso – Seasons
Venom and Shishiliza – Love Is Pain
Album of the Year:
Mass Country – AKA
SR3 – K.O
Isibuko – Sjava
KOA || Part 1 – Kabza De Small
Lavish Worship – Ntokozo Mbambo
Best Engineered Album:
To Whom It May Concern – Sincerely Anne (engineered and produced by Tjaart van der Walt and Daniel Baron)
Mass Country – AKA (engineered and produced by Robin Kohl and Itu)
Kanniedood – Francois van Coke (engineered and produced by Taylor Soundworks)
Blk Elijah & The Children of Meroë – Thandi Ntuli (engineered and produced by Shane, Tshepo, Thandi and Clinton)
Isibuko – Sjava (engineered and produced by Ruff)
Best Adult Contemporary Album:
Celebrating African Song – Dumza Maswana
Smile – Choko
I am Gold – S’nazo
Usiba Lwe Gazi – Nathi
Ubuhle Ubuhle – Lethiwe Sithole
Best Alternative Album:
Glitch Vol 2: The Future Is Now – uBeyond
Synthetic Hearts – Msaki and Tubatsi
Blue Lawns – The Great Yawn
Leaving All The Time – Bye Beneco
On the Romance of Being – Desire Marea
Best Amapiano Album:
Amukelani – Kelvin Momo
Ba Straata – DJ Maphorisa and Visca
2.0 Nkwari – Myztro
KOA || Part 1 – Kabza De Small
Scorpion Kings Live Sun Arena – DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small
Best Classical/Instrumental Album:
Live in Europe 22 – CH2
Fire Beast – Vox Chamber Choir and Franco Prinsloo
One Night On Earth – Derek Gripper
Maike – Juliet String Quartet
Sanctuary – Carol Thomas
Best Collaboration:
K.O, Young Stunna featuring Blxckie – Sete
AKA featuring Nasty C – Lemons (Lemonade)
DJ Maphorisa and Visca featuring 2woshortrsa, Stompiiey, ShaunMusiQ, Ftears and Madumance – Ba Straata
Morda featuring Oscar Mbo and Murumba Pitch – Mohigan Sun
AKA featuring Kiddominant – Company
Best Pop Album:
Things We Don’t Talk About – Jimmy Nevis
Heard You Got Love – Jeremy Loops
Game Over – Tyler Page
Seasons – Lloyiso
Petrichor – Amy Lilley
Best Produced Album:
KOA || Part 1 – Kabza De Small (producer: Leslie George Theko, Artwork Sound, Da Muzigal Chef, Mdu aka TRP, Stakev, DJ Maphorisa and Felo Le Tee)
Things We Don’t Talk About – Jummy Nevis (producer: Darren Petersen)
Amukelani – Kelvin Momo (producer: Kelvin Momo)
Lindokuhle – Lindokuhle (producer: Mthunzi, Howard, Herc, Tshepo Morone, DJ Maphorisa, Masiano)
Isibuko – Sjava (producer: Delayde, Ruff, Jah Cool)
Best Produced Music Video:
Lemons (Lemonade) – AKA featuring Nasty C (producer: Tebogo Mabaso; director: Nate Thomas)
Sete – K.O featuring Young Stunna & Blxckie (producer: K.O, Tsholofelo Moremedi, Ted Magerman; director: Ted Magerman)
Be Free – Desire Marea (producer: Will Nicholson; director: Imraan Christian)
Been Thinking – Tyla (producer: Jimi Adasanya; director: Meiji Alabi)
Shine – Elaine (producer: Shayna Gianelli; director: Jesse Ray Diamond)
Best Reggae Album:
Unleashed – Blakka Yut
Youth’s Cry – Botanist Mr Lamington
Red Carpet Live – Maximum Stylez
Flight More Riddim – Blackness Blue Productions
Healing – Lavoro Duro
Beste Kontemporere Musiek Album:
Sing, Hoop, Weerklink – Prop
Skree Net Sag – Alter Ego
Ep In F – Herman Kleinhans
Jagvat – Jan Rhaap
Toe Roep Ek Jou Naam – Jan Blohm & Ryno Velvet
Remix of the Year:
Ndinovalo – Morda
Sete – K.O featuring Young Stunna, Oxlade & Diamond Platnumz
Hayii Citizen Deep Remix – Citizen Deep X Mzux Maen ft Yasmin Levy
Au dede – Karyendasoul
Tobesta Remake – Myztro featuring Focalistic, Daliwonga, Shaunmusiq and Ftears
Rest of Africa Award:
Sad Romance – Ckay
Timeless – Davido
Worry – Lyre
Dynastie – Ferre Gola
Sounds of Peace – Moreira Chonguiça
Best Gqom Album:
Meeting with the King – DJ Lag
Fikelephi – Sizwe Mdlalose
Love & Light – Cairo CPT
Nande 2.0 – DJ Sandiso
Ithuba – Newlandz Finest
Best African Indigenous Faith Album:
Emmanuel – JTG Gospel Choir
Mantswe A Supileng – Spiritual Gospel Choir
Ikhoni Mfuyo – In Zion of Christ
Ba Ya Mo Nyatsa – Wacha Mkhukhu Wachumlilo
Ntate Le Rato La Hao – Ingqayizivele Gospel Choir
Best Hip Hop Album:
Religion – MashBeatz
Mass Country – AKA
SR3 – K.O
Life is Gangsta – Thato Saul
Diaspora – Maglera Doe Boy
Best Jazz Album:
In the Spirit of Ntu – Nduduzo Makhathini
Isambulu – Linda Sikhakhane
Blk Elija & The Children of Meroe – Thandi Ntuli
The 1st Gospel – Mthunzi Mvubu
Finish the Sun – Shane Cooper and Mabuta
Best Kwaito Album:
Speak n Vrostaan – Kwesta and Kabza De Small
R Mashesha – Big Nuz
I Am Who I Am – Nkiyase
Jukebox – Shisaboy
Barabbas – Taylor K
Best Maskandi Album:
Umqhele Nethawula – Khuzani
Ngeke Ungiphathe – Menzi
Is’khiye Se-Coldroom – Thokozani Langa
Iphakade Lami – Abafana Bakamgqumeni
Home Alone – Inkos’yamagcokama
Best R&B Album:
But Could The Moments in Between – Ndumiso Manana
Germander II – Lesego Kyle Mnyandu
4LUV (Deluxe) – Sihle Sithole
Bad Weather – Nanette Siphesihle
Passion Fruit – Kabomo
Best Traditional Album:
African Queen 2.0 – Makhadzi
Ke Bone Molelo O Timile – MmaAusi
A Reyeng Bahurutshe – Oarabele France Makgore
Obe Happy – Molebatsi Tsotetsi
Inkabi Nation – Big Zulu
Best Adult Contemporary Album:
Dark Secrets – Louise Carver
Bait For Steps Forward – Nobuhle Ashanti
Memories – Drakensberg Boys Choir
Ndikhethiwe – Vusi Nova
Love – Viwo Kulati
Best Dance Album:
Asante – Morda
Next Level – Russell Zuma
The Gospel According to Artwork Sounds – Grain
WL4OM – Bonga Ntozini
A New Dawn – Siyanda Makanya
Best Afro-pop Album:
Isibuko – Sjava
From A God to A King – Kelly Khumalo
Idwala – Mafikizolo
Love is Pain – Venom
Ekhayakomama – Philadlozi Mfekayi
Best Rock Album:
Kanniedood – Francois Badenhorst
Fine Thanks, and You? – Russell Coward
Hellcats – End of Days – Warwick Rautenbach/Alessandro Benigno
Fuzigish – Malcolm King
Testify – Basson Laubscher
Best Traditional Faith Album:
The Overflow – Dumi Mkokstad
Hoja Ke Sena Wena – IPCC
Ndiyabulela – Tsholofelo Ntuli
The Grace Encounter Vol.1 – Phumulani Radebe
Sedi Laka – Brown Mosiapoa
Best Contemporary Faith Album:
Lavish Worship – Ntokozo Mbambo
Mhalamhala – Brenden Praise
Take Heart – Hle
Restored: The Jesus Collective – The Jesus Collective
Hope – Vincent Jiyane
Beste Pop:
Jona – Bernice van der Westhuizen
Insomnia – Brendan Peyper
Loufi Flippen Loufi – Ifan-Luc Carlo Handel
Hittegolf – Brandon Eloff
Die Onbekende – Renier van der Westhuizen
In other news – Vusi Nova congratulates Somizi over his store opening at Mall of Africa
Vusi Nova congratulates Somizi Mhlongo after launching Sompire Kids’ first physical store at the Mall of Africa. The singer graced the mall over the weekend to attend the launching ceremony.
Taking to social media, Vusi congratulated his best friend and further revealed that Som is an inspiration to him and many others. Read More
