Johannesburg - The long-awaited South African Music Awards weekend began with the non-broadcast awards hosted last night. The official awards are taking place tonight. The non-broadcast awards ceremony was staged to accommodate the lengthy list of awards for the entire ceremony.
Among the night's winners was one of the biggest hitmakers of 2017, South Africa's December anthem Sun El-Musician's Akanamali featuring Samthing Soweto. South Africa's super duo Mafikizolo took home the gong for Best Engineered Album for their 20th-year commemorative release aptly titled 20.
Donald’s slick Red Mic Xperience Live DVD was awarded the Best Live Audio Visual Recording/DVD, while Simphiwe Dana’s sublime The Simphiwe Dana Symphony Experience was declared the Best African Artist Album. The erudite Nduduzo Makhathini won the Best Jazz Album for Ikhambi.
The much-contested category for Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album was awarded to Afrotraction for their Relationships while legendary Afrikaans singer Kurt Darren secured the Beste Pop Album for Laat Die Dansvloer Brand.
Other awards went to Nqubeko Mbatha in the Best Contemporary for his Faith Music Album Heaven’s Ways and the collaboration between Wouter Kellerman and Soweto Gospel Choir won them the Best Contemporary Album award for Symphonic Soweto.
Like any other awards ceremony, there were performances the popular Sun City Superbowl from the likes of nominees such as Shane Eagle, Ntando, Tribute Birdie Mboweni, Thabsie, Zoe Modiga, Tresor, Chomee, Team Mosha and Wouter Kellerman performed some of the biggest songs of the year.p
Speaking to the MEC of North West the honourable Ontlametse Mochware says the Music awards are about appreciating the talent that Mzansi has to offer. "And not only the talent in our province but the talent of South Africa as a whole. We have partnered with RiSA as the Department: Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs (CATA) so that we become the playground for celebrating musicians.
She also emphasized the importance of supporting the matters of the arts and culture in our country and not subjecting artists only to entertainment but supporting them beyond. Commenting on the night of awards, the CEO of Risa Nhlanhla Sibisi says the delivery of the night's awards as exceptionally good. "We are proud of the nominees and those who emerged as winners. Let this be just the push they need to reach greater heights, we at SAMA salute and honour them"
Other winners of the night were Jessica Mbangeni for Jessica Mbangeni Sings iGoli Live @ Lyric Theatre Johannesburg - Best Traditional Music Album
Encore took home their first SAMA under the Best Remix of the Year award for I Got You. Another newcomer to the SAMA, Rouge, bagged the Music Video of the Year trophy.
The official awards ceremony will be broadcast tonight at 8 pm.