The SAMA25 winners have been announced! The award ceremory took place at Sun City on Friday the 31st of May and Saturday the 1st of June 2019. It was two great nights celebrating SA Music.
Sho Madjozi, Sjava and Black Coffee featured on the list of SAMA25 winners
It was a good night for newcomer Sho Madjozi. She won two of the coveted SAMA25 awards (for Newcomer of the Year and Female Artist of the Year). Sjava scooped the prestigious Album of the Year and Best Afro Pop Album while Black Motion with ‘Moya wa Taola’ won Best Dance Album and Duo/Group of the Year.
DJ Black Coffee also sealed the double win with two gongs Male Artist of the Year and Best Collaboration Award with David Guetta for ‘Drive’ from last night.
Joyous Celebration were one of the biggest SAMA25 winners
They picked up the SAMRO/ CAPASSO Best Selling Digital Artist (Composer’s Award) and the awards for Best Selling DVD and Best Selling Artist.
The silver jubilee of SAMA reached a nail biting crescendo when the public-voted Record of the Year winner was announced as ‘Deeper’ by Holly Rey.
The highly contested Best Hip Hop Album award went to Nasty C for his ‘Strings and Bling’. Kwaito veteran Spikiri proved his staying power when he beat stiff competition to clinch Best Kwaito/Gqom/Amapiano Album.
Spirit of Praise won the Best Traditional Faith Music Album for their ‘Spirit of Praise Vol. 7’ while on the African Indigenous front Ithimba LeAfrica’s ‘Sesiphunyukile’ came out tops.
Dan Patlansky walked away with the SAMA for Best Rock Album, Snotkop’s ‘SOUS’ took home the Beste Pop Album and Tresor’s ‘Nostalgia’ earned him Best Pop Album. Sgwebo Sentambo emerged a winner in the Best Maskandi Album for ‘Yekani Umona’. Candy’s ‘Hupenyu Unenge Viri’ won the Best Traditional Album.
Lifetime Achievement recognition was bestowed on the late Motswako hip hop proponent HHP, kwaito and guz pioneers TKZee and the iconic band Mango Groove.
A series of six paired hosts took the audience through the 25 years of the SAMA
Radio stars Bob Mabena and Melanie Bala recreated their TV partnership as they threw back to the 90s, Twasa of Lesedi FM and rapper Khuli Chana held it down for the 2000s while comedian Mpho Popps and actress / humanitarian Nomzamo Mbatha presented the 2010s.
There were some memorable and magical moments
The SAMA25 stage exploded with performances that brought back great memories such as the Kwaito leg featuring Bongo Maffin, Thebe, Trompies, Freshly Ground (Zolani) and Connell Cruise.
The beauty of South African heritage was in full display in the Traditional segment led by the iconic Mahotella Queens and the bow and arrow legend Madosini, and SAMA25 nominees Tswelelang Cultural Dancers and VhaVenda Cultural Group.
The Hip Hop fraternity came out in full force with Ishmael, Zakwe, BLAKLEZ, Citi Lyts and Musiholiq. Sjava, Mlindo The Vocalist, Refentse, Zethe and Mbuzeni represented the Maskandi/Urban part well.
Gospel powerhouses Rebecca Malope and Ntokozo Mbambo hit all the right notes along with Sipho Ngwenya and the Soweto Gospel Choir. The In Memoriam performed by SAMA25 nominees Vusi Nova, Jessica Mbangeni and Thembisile Ntaka was both uplifting and a tearjerker.
The curtain came down on SAMA25 with a spectacular finale of performances from winner Sho Madjozi, Kelly Khumalo, DJ Sumbody, Dladla Mshunqisi, DJ Tira and Distruction Boyz, Sun-El Musician and Mobi Dixon.
Nhlanhla Sibisi (CEO of RiSA) had these comments:
“We are proud of the SAMA25 journey and how fitting the celebrations have been tonight. We applaud the winners and nominees, the performers, presenters and hosts who brought their flavours to making this event such a great success. A big thank you to our sponsors, stakeholders and partners. We also owe a debt of gratitude to the music loving South Africans who have supported the SAMAs since day one and without whom all this would not take place. We are filled with hope that the future of SAMA and music in this country is bright”.
North West MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation, Mme Tsotso Tlhapi was ecstatic about the success of SAMA25
“I am really over the moon. The event truly lived up to Its expectations. Congratulations to all the winners. What a way to celebrate 25 years of excellence.”
Here’s the full list of SAMA25 Winners:
Album of the Year
Sjava — Umqhele
Best Adult Contemporary Album
Ard Matthews – Impossible Machines
Best African Adult Contemporary Album
Nathi- Iphupha Labantu
Best African Indigenous Faith Album
Ithimba Le Africa — Sesiphunyukile
Best Afro Pop Album
Sjava — Umqhele
Best Alternative Album
Nakhane – You Will Not Die
Best Contemporary Faith Music Album
We Will Worship – Seasons Volume 1
Best Dance Album
Black Motion — Moya Wa Taola
Best Engineered Album
Vusi Nova – Manyan-nyan by Robin Walsh
Best Hip Hop Album
Nasty C — Strings N Bling
Best Jazz Album
Bokani Dyer Trio – Neo Native
Best Kwaito / Gqom / Amapiano
Spikiri — King Don Father
Best Live Audio Visual Recording
Cassper Nyovest – Fill up Orlando Stadium – Robin Kohl
Best Maskandi Album
Sgwebo Sentambo — Yekani Umona
Best Pop Album
Tresor — Nostalgia
Best Produced Album
Nasty C – Strings and Bling
Best RnB / Soul Album
Zonke – L.O.V.E
Best Reggae Album
Black Dillinger – Mavara is King
Best Rock Album
Dan Patlansky — Perfection Kills
Best Selling Artist
Joyous Celebration 22
Best Selling DVD
Joyous Celebration 22
Best Traditional Album
Candy — Hupenyu Unenge Viri
Best Traditional Faith Music Album
Spirit of Praise — Spirit of Praise Vol 7
Beste Kontemporere Musiek Album
Coenie de Villiers – Pure Coenie
Beste Pop Album
Snotkop — Sous
Capasso Best Selling Digital Download Composers Award
Joyous Celebration 22 – All for you – Lindelani Mkhize, Mnqobi Nxumalo, Siphiwe Ngcobo, Thobeka Mahlangu
Collaboration of the year
Black Coffee feat. David Guetta and Delilah Montagu – “Drive”
Duo / Group of the Year
Black Motion — Moya Wa Taola
Female Artist of the Year
Sho Madjozi
Lifetime Achievement Award
HHP, TKZEE and Mango Groove
Male Artist of the Year
Black Coffee — Music is King
Music Video of the Year
Jeremy Loops – Gold by Robert Smith
Newcomer of the Year
Sho Madjozi – Limpopo Champions League
Record of the Year
Holly Rey — “Deeper”
Remix of the Year
“Zakwe Sebentin” by Cassper Nyovest, HHP, Blaklez, Kwesta and Musiholiq
Rest of Africa Artist
Diamond Platnumz – A Boy from Tandale
SAMPRA Highest Airplay Song of the Year
Lady Zamar – Collide
SAMRO Composers Highest Airplay Award
Lady Zamar – Collide
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of the SAMA25 winners. I wish them all of the best with their future musical endeavors.
Watch this space for regular updates in the Music category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
