#SAMA29 Nominees Announced

The nominees list for the 29th edition of the South African Music Awards (#SAMA29) is led by the late AKA, who has received a total of seven nominations for his album “Mass Country.”

He is a contender in the following categories: Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Engineered Album, Best Hip-Hop Album, Best Collaboration (for the single “Lemons (Lemonade)” featuring Nasty C), Best Collaboration (for the single “Company” featuring Kiddominant), and Best Produced Music Video.

Following closely behind is fellow rapper K.O, who has earned an impressive six nominations for his album “SR3” and the single “Sete” featuring Young Stunna and Blxckie. His nominations span categories such as Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Hip Hop Album, Best Collaboration, Best Produced Music Video, and Remix of the Year.

Sjava’s album “Isibuko” has secured him nominations in the highly competitive categories of Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Produced Album, and Best Engineered Album.

Amapiano maestros Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa have each received at least four and three nominations, respectively. Additionally, they have received two nominations for their collaborative work as Scorpion Kings.

Sincerely Anne has impressively earned three nominations, including Newcomer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, and Best Engineered Album for “To Whom it May Concern.”

Ntokozo Mbambo’s “Lavish Worship” is the sole album by a female artist competing in the Album of the Year category. She is also in the running for the Female Artist of the Year award and the Best Contemporary Faith Album.

The Maskandi Album category features intense competition with Khuzani’s “Umqhele Nethawula,” Menzi’s “Ngeke Ungiphathe,” Thokozani Langa’s “Is’khiye Se-Coldroom,” Abafana Bakamgqumeni’s “Iphakade Lami,” and Inkos’yamagcokama’s “Home Alone” all vying for the top spot.

In the Best Jazz Album category, “In the Spirit of Ntu” by Nduduzo Makhathini competes against Linda Sikhakhane’s “Isambulu,” Thandi Ntuli’s “Blk Elija & The Children of Meroe,” Mthunzi Mvubu’s “The 1st Gospel,” and Shane Cooper and Mabuta’s “Finish the Sun.”

Check out the full list of #SAMA29 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 – “KOA II 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 II 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 & produced by Robin Kohl and Itu)
• “Kanniedood” – Francois van Coke (engineered & produced by Taylor Soundworks)
• “Blk Elijah & The Children of Meroë” – Thandi Ntuli (engineered & produced by Shane, Tshepo, Thandi & Clinton)
• “Isibuko” – Sjava, (engineered & produced by Ruff)

Best African 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 II 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 Thorns

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 Madumane – “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 II Part 1” – Kabza De Small (producer: Leslie George Theko, Artwork Sound, Da Muziqal Chef, Mdu aka TRP, Stakev, DJ Maphorisa and Felo Le Tee)
• “Things We Don’t Talk About” – Jimmy 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 Adesanya; 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 1^st 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

• Francois Van Coke – “Kanniedood”
• Shortstraw – “Fine Thanks, and You?”
• Hellcats – “End of Days”
• Fuzigish – “Fuzigish”
• Basson Laubscher – “Testify”

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

Well, there you have it, all the #SAMA29 nominees you shoud know about.

#SAMA29 will be held at the Durban ICC on the 17th and 18th of Novemebr 2023 and will be broadcast live on SABC1.

Speaking at the #SAMA29 nominees announcement party on Tuesday at the Soweto Theatre, KZN’s MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Siboniso Duma, said the provincial government was happy to host the awards.

“Rest assured you will be warm enough, you’ll be welcome and enjoy what’s on the ground,” Duma said.

“We are proud to present the class of #SAMA29 who over a 14-month period put out some of the best tunes, collaborations and music videos in the country,” said Risa CEO Nhlanhla Sibisi.

“We commend their artistry, resilience and tenacity that have led to them rising to the top and positioning themselves to be in line for the highest music accolade SA can bestow on an artist. We wish them well as we embark on the road to #SAMA29 in KwaZulu-Natal.”

Watch this space for updates in the Music News category on Running Wolf’s Rant.