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@ShoMadjozi, @Sjava_atm, & Many More Won Big at #SAMA25

By @MisaNarrates on 06/03/2019 in Watch

Images by Misa Narrates

The South African Music Awards are one of the biggest events in music for South African artists. From artists related to genres such as hip-hop, gqom, and the like, a plethora of artists received nods from the SAMAs. Now with the show over, all anyone is talking about is what happened at the show, which is why we want to give our SlikourOnLife fam a rundown of what went on!

Many already know this, however, the SAMAs are only broadcast over SABC on the second night of the award show. On the first night, awards for categories like Best Produced Album of The Year and Best Remix Of The Year were awarded. Praises are in order for Zakwe, as he took home the SAMA award for Best Remix Of The Year. "Sebentin" is the kind of song that hits listeners in the chest, on top of which it boasts a stellar group of collaborators. Zakwe's co-winners include the late great, HHP, Cassper Nyovest, Blaklez, Kwesta, and Muziholiq. Next up, for the Friday evening ceremony, is Nasty C. The Strings & Bling rapper won the Best Produced Album Of The Year award. While he wasn't in attendance to receive the award, being celebrated for the technical aspects of music is just as noteworthy as the getting the lyrical content correct. Another winner on the first night was Cassper Nyovest. He was awarded the accolade of Best Live Audio Visual Recording for the recording of his Fill Up Orlando Stadium concert. 



The following night, the SAMAs were broadcast on SABC as well as available for stream on the MyMuze website. For those that don't know, it is a choice to walk the red carpet. While celebrities aren't obliged, it's a great place to network and do press, which is what many did. More so, it gives a general indicator of who will be in attendance on the night. The official hosts of the red carpet were Bontle Modiselle and Moshe Ndiki. While many are cynical about the quality of fashion that touches the red carpet in South Africa, this year's outfits showed more hope than hopelessness. Stars like Kelly Khumalo and her partner, Chad Da Don, Reason and his partner, Loot Love, among many others showed up to show out at this year's SAMA awards! Unfortunately for many celebrities who may have wanted to walk the red carpet, the event has to start at some point, which means the lights are purposefully turned off in order to force everyone to make their way to the auditorium for the show to begin. Imagine, just as AKA takes to the red carpet, cameras are poised, index fingers ready to take a snapshot of the Big Shot, Superstar and Punisher only for the lights to go out. Nevertheless, the man was in attendance and looked good while he was at it. 

The show must go on, and that it did. Regardless of anyone's sentiments towards the SAMAs, the event itself is a prime example of the talent permeating throughout the nation. Performances were powerful and the stage presence of the performing artists was impeccable. Spikiri took home the award for Best Kwaito/Gqom/Amapiano Album. His acceptance speech was a moment of pride, given the artist's longstanding career in the South African music industry. Soon after him, Sjava nabbed his first award of the evening for Best Afro Pop Album. Giving thanks to his label as well as his mother, Sjava also broke into song while accepting the award noting the times when he wished to one day have a statue from the SAMAs. This takes us to the award hip-hop heads anticipated most. This year, the competition was stiff, and we have to thank the rap community for having released stellar albums in 2018 for this. At the end of the day, it was Nasty C who earned the Best Hip-Hop Album award, however, he was otherwise engaged so a representative accepted the award on his behalf. 



Being recognized for not only what an artist recently releases, but the work that they have put out throughout their careers is equally important. TKZee took home a Lifetime Achievement award. During their acceptance speech, they thanked everyone from their record label to the media. In addition, the fallen artist, Jabba was also awarded a Lifetime Achievement award. While announcing the Best Pop Album Of The Year, DJ Tira made a simple but poignant statement, "South African Music Rocks." The winner of this accolade was Tresor, for his album, Nostalgia. 2019 makes the third year in a row that Tresor has taken home this award. He opened his speech with a stunned, "Wow," then proceeded to reminisce on his beginnings in South Africa. Thanking his co-collaborators, the "Electric Nights" singer gave thanks to South Africa and closed his speech with a message of love being the solution to improving the state of South Africa. 

What should not come as a shock is Sho Madjozi's win of the Best Newcomer Of The Year award. As her hit song "Huku" played overhead, Madjozi took the stage accompanied by her mother and her team. Getting through tears of joy, the Limpopo Champions League maker gave thanks to her fans and her culture. On stage, she said, "I've been hoping that my success will speak for itself," in relation to some of the disrespectful commentary around Tsonga people and her home, Limpopo. She was proud, but we maintain that there was no one more proud than her mother, who later backstage explained, "I am a pastor, but I am a mother first."


Not long after this moment, Sho Madjozi took the stage once more to accept the award for Best Female Of The Year. Once again, she thanked her team and her fan base. In addition, she also gave a shout out to her ex-boyfriend, whom she believes is "now regretting." She announced that "Idhom," is not only dedicated to him but that she would drop the music video for the track at the end of the evening. 


Relating to the culture of urban music and its participants, Sjava retook the stage dressed in traditional Zulu attire. This was a performance outfit, however, it truly was beautiful to see him take the stage for Best Male Artist in his full regalia. Once again thanking his mother, he went on to show love to other artists who had released music. 


To close out the awards element of the ceremony of the show, Skwatta Camp announced the Record Of The Year Award. Before making the announcement, Slikour aptly addressed the crowd by saying, "Firstly, as'iphelelanga, RIP Flabba, shout out Relo, and Sjava congratulations. And [to] all the kids that are disrupting, shout out to you." Unfortunately, a few folks misunderstood him when he said, "as'iphelelanga," however this was in direct relation to their fallen team member Flabba, he later explained. Nevertheless, when Holly Rey took the stage for her record of the year, "Deeper," all was excitement again. In her acceptance speech, she noted her thanks to her team, as many of the award winners before her did as well. Particularly for independent musicians, her statement rings true, "I could never have dreamed of this. Thank you so much to my team. No artist wins awards alone."


Congratulations to all of the winners of the night, you've outdone yourselves! If you missed the show, find the full ceremony below as well as a list of all of the winners!

25th Annual SAMA Award 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

 

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