Bright young things to vie for glory with evergreen pros at SAMA 20 Nominees announced for milestone 20th edition of annual music awards

A number of new kids on the music block dominate the major categories for the landmark 20th Annual South African Music Awards – with some familiar favourites also creeping into the running for SA’s most prestigious music competition.

The nominees for SAMA 20 were announced amid great excitement and anticipation at Sun International’s Carnival City in Ekurhuleni this morning.

Newcomers Gangs of Ballet are set to rock the SAMAs with five nominations, leading the pack along with perennial dance darlings Mi Casa.

Another two stellar fresh faces, Naima Kay and Nakhane Touré, have emphatically announced their presence on the scene with four nods apiece – including three in the coveted top five categories.

Also bagging four SAMA nominations are Mafikizolo, whose comeback release Reunited has been crowned with nods for Best Pop Album, Best Collaboration, Duo or Group of the Year and Album of the Year.

Former SAMA winners The Parlotones have made it clear that they have no intention of slowing down any time soon by securing nominations across four categories.

Joining Mafikizolo in the Album of the Year category are music acts representing a diverse mix of genres: DJ Kent, Mi Casa, Naima Kay and Nakhane Touré.

Another fiercely contested category is Duo or Group of the Year, in which electronic trio GoodLuck and Afropop duo Mafikizolo vie for glory with veteran rockers The Parlotones and newbies Gangs of Ballet, as well as house favourites Mi Casa.

SAMA 20 will once again see debutantes basking in the well-deserved limelight, with the Newcomer of the Year category contested among Gangs of Ballet, Nakhane Touré, Naima Kay, IFani and MuzArt.

Kay also gamely steps up to the plate to compete with her more established counterparts in the Female Artist of the Year category: Judith Sephuma, Rebecca, Zahara and Dear Reader.

Similarly, fellow newcomer Touré will be hoping to stand his ground when it comes to the competition for Male Artist of the Year. He will be slugging it out with breakthrough singer-songwriters Connell Cruise and Matthew Mole, as well as more seasoned campaigners Vusi Mahlasela and Kabomo.

David du Plessis, the Chief Operating Officer of the Recording Industry of SA (RISA), said this year’s event will be special in more ways than one: “Not only are we celebrating 20 years of South Africa’s premier music awards, we are also commemorating the country’s 20th anniversary of democracy.”

Du Plessis said that as a symbolic tribute to the first democratic elections, which were held on 27 and 28 April 1994, the SAMA 20 awards ceremony will take place exactly 20 years later, on 28 April 2014, at the Sun City Superbowl.

“Just as the country has evolved into a mature democracy over the past two decades, the SAMAs have also developed into the polished, professional and hotly anticipated industry event that they are today,” he added.

“This year’s crop of SAMA nominees perfectly encapsulate the rainbow nation in all its creative diversity and vibrancy. We are extremely proud to be sharing our 20-year milestone with the birth of the new South Africa as a nation.”

As always, all eyes will be on the Record of the Year category, which is determined by a public vote. The nominees for this award will be announced shortly, after which fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite song and artist of 2013. Prepare for a thrilling contest!

The Lifetime Achievement Awards, honouring the veterans and game-changers in the industry, will also be revealed prior to the awards ceremony.

The countdown to the 20th Annual SAMA Awards at Sun City on 28 April 2014 starts tonight with a bash of note at the official SAMA Celebration Party in Sandton, where Mzansi’s finest music makers of 2013 will come out to play – and dance the night away!

The nominees’ announcement and all the red-carpet glamour and excitement of the celebration party will be streamed live in real time on the SAMA 20 mobisite. For those who miss out on all the live action, packaged highlights will also be available for viewing on the mobisite (www.samatv.mobi) and on the official SAMA 20 YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/samusicawards).

For more information on SAMA 20, visit www.samusicawards.co.za. Get hold of the nominated albums now at iTunes.com/SAMA

The Annual South African Music Awards are organised by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RISA), a trade association of recording companies operating in South Africa.


Nominees for the 20th Annual South African Music Awards:

• Album of the Year
DJ Kent     The Weekent
Mafikizolo    Reunited
Mi Casa     Su Casa
Naima Kay    Umsebenzi
Nakhane Touré    Brave Confusion

• Duo or Group of the Year
Gangs of Ballet    Yes/No/Grey
GoodLuck    Creatures of the Night
Mafikizolo    Reunited
Mi Casa     Su Casa
The Parlotones    Stand Like Giants

• Female Artist of the Year
Dear Reader    Rivonia
Judith Sephuma    The Experience Live in Concert
Naima Kay    Umsebenzi
Rebecca     Bayos'Khomba
Zahara     Phendula

• Male Artist of the Year
Connell Cruise    Connell Cruise
Kabomo     Memory Remains
Matthew Mole    The Home We Built
Nakhane Touré    Brave Confusion
Vusi Mahlasela    Sing to the People

• Newcomer of the Year
Gangs Of Ballet    Yes/No/Grey
IFani     I Believes in Me (1st Quadrant)
MuzArt     MuzArt
Naima Kay    Umsebenzi
Nakhane Touré    Brave Confusion

• Best Rock Album
Gangs of Ballet   Yes/No/Grey
Shadowclub    Goodbye Wild Child
The Black Cat Bones   Beatipiller
The Parlotones    Stand Like Giants
Van Coke Kartel   Bloed, Sweet & Trane
  
• Best Pop Album
Danny K     Good Look
GoodLuck    Creatures of the Night
LCNVL     Faster Longer Mixtape
Mafikizolo    Reunited
Matthew Mole    The Home We Built
  
• Beste Pop Album (Afrikaans)
4Werke     4 Harte
Charlize Berg    Charlize Berg
JAY     Dis Hoe Ons Rol
Karlien van Jaarsveld   Uitklophou
Kurt Darren    Seerower
  
• Best Adult Contemporary Album
Connell Cruise    Connell Cruise
Farryl Purkiss    Home
Hinds Brothers    Ocean of Milk
Michael Lowman   Crayon Boxes
Shaun Jacobs    Love Can
  
• Beste Kontemporêre Musiek Album
Ampie     Niks en Niemand
Andriëtte     Wat Rym met Liefde
Bok van Blerk    Steek Die Vure Aan
Elvis Blue     Afrikaans
Jak de Priester    N1 van My Hart
  
• Best African Adult Album
Naima Kay    Umsebenzi
Selaelo Selota    The Promise
Vusi Mahlasela    Sing to the People
Zamajobe    Thula Mntwana
Zonke     Give and Take Live
  
• Best Alternative Album
Chris Letcher    Hyperbalist
Dear Reader    Rivonia
Death by Misadventure  dump dump
Die See     II
Nakhane Touré   Brave Confusion
  
• Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album
Kabomo    Memory Remains
MuzArt     MuzArt
The Soil    Reflections Live in Joburg
Vusi Nova    Walk into Light
Zahara     Phendula
  
• Best Rap Album
AB Crazy     Home Coming
iFani     I Believes in Me (1st Quadrant)
Kwesta     DaKAR
L-Tido     All of Me
Molemi     A Sia
  
• Best Kwaito Album
Alaska     The Revival
Big Nuz    Made in Africa
Character   Self-Control
Mandoza    Sgantsontso
Tzozo     Amabills
  
• Best Dance Album
DJ Kent    The Weekent
Lulo Café    Soul Africa
Mi Casa      Su Casa
Uhuru     Our Father
Zakes Bantwini    The Fake Book & Real Book: My Music Bible
  
• Best Traditional Faith Music Album
Andile KaMajola   Chapter 6 ujehova ungibiyele
Deborah    Umqhele
Lusanda Spiritual Group  Uhambo Lwam
Rebecca     Bayos'Khomba
Worship House    Project 10 Live in Limpopo, RSA
  
• Best Contemporary Faith Music Album
Benjamin Dube                          Renewal in His Presence with Benjamin
Dube
Judith Sephuma    The Experience Live in Concert
Nqubeko Mbatha  Sentiments of a Worshiper
Soweto Gospel Choir   Divine Decade
& Friends  
We Will Worship    YHWH
  
• Best Traditional Album
Hennie de Bruyn en   Kitaar Kwêla
die Kitaarkêrels
Joe Shirimani na Vana   Hawu Ra Mina
va Ndoda 
PS. Manyike Na Vatirhi   Taduma e Kerekeni
Va Hosi 
Sayicology    Round 2
Dr. Thomas Chauke   Shimatsatsa No 32
Na Shinyori Sisters    
  
• Best Maskandi Album
Amabunjwa   X6
Buselaphi     Gijima Ntuthwane
Khwelebhasini    Ngiyistress
Phuzekhemisi    Kungakho Nilwa Nodwa
Thokozani Langa   Inyakanyaka
  
• Best Jazz Album
Marcus Wyatt Quartet  One Life in the Sun
Shane Cooper    Oscillations
Sisa Sopazi    Images & Figures
Tumi Mogorosi    Project Elo
Zim Ngqawana                          Live at the Cape Town International
Jazz Festival
  
• Best Classical and/or Instrumental Album
Cape Consort    Claudio Monteverdi - Selected Madrigals
Guy Buttery    Live in KwaZulu
Ockie Vermeulen   Obsession
Tygerberg Children's Choir  Glorious
Zanne Stapelberg &   Soul of Fire
Kathleen Tagg 

• Best Live DVD
Nataniël    Factory
Skouspel 2013   Skouspel 2013
The Soil    Reflections Live in Joburg
Unathi    An Intimate Night with Unathi
Zonke    Give and Take Live
  
• Best Collaboration
DJ Kent Ft The Arrows   Spin My World Around
LCNVL Ft Lakota Silva   Closer
Mafikizolo Ft May D   Happiness
The Parlotones, Khuli   Sleepwalker
Chana & Jon Savage 
Uhuru Ft Oskido, Professor &  Y-tjukutja
DJ Bucks    
  
• Best Music Video of the Year
Goldfish     One Million Views
Mi Casa     Jika
The Muffinz                                  Umsebenzi Wendoda (An Ode to
Single Mothers)
The Parlotones, Khuli   Sleepwalker
Chana & Jon Savage 
Toya Delazy    Memoriam
  
• Best Producer of the Year
Danny K     Good Look by Danny K
Darryl Torr    Yes/No/Grey by Gangs of Ballet
David Poole &   Three Second Memory by Goldfish
Dominic Peters
Dan Roberts   Border Crossing by Laurie Levine
Shaun Jacobs    Love Can by Shaun Jacobs
  
• Best Engineer of the Year
Peter Auret   Pimp My Piano by Charl du Plessis
Darryl Torr    Yes/No/Grey by Gangs of Ballet
Matthew Fink   The Home We Built by Matthew Mole
Matthew Fink   Goodbye Wild Child by Shadowclub
Shaun Jacobs    Love Can by Shaun Jacobs
  
• Remix of the Year
Euphonik     Hallelujah Anyway
Khuli Chana    Hape (Part 2)
Mi Casa    Jika
Oskido     Tsa Ma Ndebele
Uhuru     Thath'isghubu


Category winners to be announced at the awards ceremony:

SPECIAL AWARDS
• International Achievement Awards

BEST SELLING MOBILE MUSIC DOWNLOAD
• Best Selling Album
• Best Selling DVD
• Best Selling Mobile Music Download
• Best Selling True-Tone
• Best Selling Ring-Back Tone
• Best Selling Full-Track Download

SAMPRA AWARD
• Highest Airplay of the Year

The 20th Annual South African Music Awards are made possible with the generous support of official vehicle sponsor Kia Motors, official broadcast sponsor SABC 1, event sponsor Sun International and Amstel Lager.

Follow SAMA 20 on the following digital platforms:

Hashtag: #SAMA20

Twitter handle: @OfficialSAMAs (www.twitter.com/OfficialSAMAs)

Website: www.samusicawards.co.za

Mobisite: www.samatv.mobi

Facebook page: South African Music Awards (www.facebook.com/SAMusicAwards)

Instagram handle: @OfficialSAMAs

YouTube channel: samusicawards (www.youtube.com/samusicawards)

Flickr: samusicawards (www.flickr.com/samusicawards)