The Metro FM awards nominations are out and many artists are overjoyed over scoring nods but not all is rosy, with scrutiny over the lack of female nominees.
Following a six-year hiatus, the awards will be taking place in May at Mbombela Stadium, in Mbombela, Mpumalanga and broadcast on SABC 1.
Multi-award winning Msaki returned briefly to the twitter streets to express her views about the nominations. The songstress has been off social media platforms, after announcing that the space had become too much for her.
Msaki, took to Twitter and shared an image of the nominees of Best Amapiano Song, where her collaboration with Kabza De Small “Khusela” is among the nominees.
On the image, the titles of songs and one artist is listed and not the full credits. Msaki asked the organisers to rectify the credits on the list published, so that Kabza does not find himself getting cooked for something that was not his fault.
“Perhaps @METROFMSA can fix this before these awards so that @KabzaDeSmall_ doesn’t get cooked for something he didn’t do,” she tweeted.
Perhaps @METROFMSA can fix this before these awards so that @KabzaDeSmall_ doesn’t get cooked for something he didn’t do. Also are we still having a conversation about the erasure of females in this industry In 2023? Do better @METROFMSA.Yes it’s me- Msaki. As you were. Namaste✨ pic.twitter.com/PrwopKQpRm
— #Platinumbheart🖤 (@Msaki_ZA) March 31, 2023
The “Ubomi Abumanga” hitmaker went on to raise the question as to why females were still not properly credited.
“Also are we still having a conversation about the erasure of females in this industry In 2023? Do better @METROFMSA.Yes it’s me- Msaki. As you were. Namaste✨”.
But when it comes to AWARDS we miraculously disappear. Also the intention should be inclusion on every level. We shouldn’t have beg for it. Thank God I’m taking a break this is exhausting shem.
— #Platinumbheart🖤 (@Msaki_ZA) March 31, 2023
Fellow female musician Ami Faku agreed with Msaki and also expressed her view on the matter. “It’s so distasteful, you’d swear their intention is to downplay the efforts we invest in our work,” she tweeted.
It’s so distasteful, you’d swear their intention is to downplay the efforts we invest in our work.
— Ami Faku (@Ami_Faku) March 31, 2023
In response to IOL Entertainment’s questions about female artists’ not being properly credited, Mmoni Seapolelo (Group Executive: Corporate Affairs and Marketing) said:
“METRO FM received all category nominees as per the submissions made by respective record companies and was therefore communicated as such by the SABC. In this particular case, this would need to be directly addressed to the record company concerned.
“The station went the extra mile to ensure proper screening measures are in place to verify all entries received for compliance with the relevant rules of the awards. The rules, regulations and submission checklist and criteria were all published on METRO FM platforms.
“It is never the intention for the awards to favour any particular gender, however space is made in the best female and best male categories, which are gender specific”.