List of Nominees For South Africa Music Awards: #SAMA27

The prestigious South-African Music Awards, SAMA is set to hold for the 27th time– #SAMA27 and have announced the nominees ahead of the awards ceremony later in 2021.

The nominees’ list sees acts such as Amapiano maestro Kabza De Small and DJ, Sun- El Musician making a killing with multiple nominations. Nigerian megastar, Wizkid and Davido have also been nominated under the Rest of Africa catergory.

Here’s the full list of nominees: 

Album of the Year

• Persistence – Bongo Riot
• The Healers: The Last Chapter – Black Motion
• Once Upon A Time in Lockdown – Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa (Scorpion Kings)
• I Am The King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust – Kabza De Small
• Back to Love – Junior Taurus

Duo/Group of the Year

• Reece Madlisa & Zuma – Ama Roto EP
• MFR Souls – Musical Kings
• Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa (Scorpion Kings) – Once Upon A Time in Lockdown
• Mas Musiq & Aymos – Shonamalanga
• Mi Casa – We Made It

Female Artist of the Year

• Reign Africa – On the Frontline
• Bucy Radebe – Spiritual Encounter
• Sho Madjozi – What a Life
• Nomcebo Zikode – Xola Moya Wam’
• Hle – Your Kingdom on Earth

Male Artist of the Year

• Sun-El Musician – To The World & Beyond
• Bongo Riot – Persistence
• Kabza De Small – I Am The King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust
• Oscar Mbo – For the Groovists
• Junior Taurus – Back to Love

Newcomer of the Year

• Xolly Mncwango – Jesus Is Enough
• Reign Africa – On the Frontline
• Africado – BandaBanda & The Crocodiles
• Ingoma – Azana
• Spiritual Encounter – Bucy Radebe

Best Rock Album

• Chrome Neon Jesus – Ethyl Ether
• Here’s to the Now – Nathan Smith
• Orange Sunshine – Yum Yuck
• The Devils Cattle – Ruff Majik
• Nothing’s Gonna Change – Oooth

Best Pop Album

• 11:11 – Rowlene
• I Don’t Sleep – Jethro Tait
• Tribes & Angels – Locnville
• Sugar – Mark Stent
• She – Amy Lilley

Beste Pop Album

• 2021 – Die Heuwels Fantasties
• Die Toekoms is Synth – Synth Peter
• Twintig20 – Brendan Peyper
• Gewigloos – Juan Boucher
• Gemaklik Verlore – Christa Visser

Best Adult Contemporary Album

• In the Kingdom of the Aloes – amaFranx
• Repaired – Jack Atlantic
• Rise – Ndlovu Youth Choir
• Take Me To The River – Connell Cruise
• The South African Songbook – Kurt Darren & The Soweto Gospel Choir

Beste Kontemporêre Musiek Album

• Wandel In My Woning – Refentse
• Herverbeel – Die Heuwels Fantasties
• Net Geleen – Bernice West
• Monumentaal – Ruhan Du Toit
• Spontaan – Riaan Benadê

Best African Adult Contemporary Album

• Umsebenzi – Sjava
• Isambulo – 1020 Cartel Artists
• Amakhaya – Max-Hoba
• Bamako – Simphiwe Dana
• Buhlebendalo – Chosi

Best Alternative Music Album

• Mania/Post Mania – Yellow House
• iimini – Bongeziwe Mabandla
• Hot Mess – Evert Snyman
• Filth and Wisdom – The Medicine Dolls
• Ebusuku – Th&o

Best R&B/Soul Album

• A Force To Be Reckoned With – Thando
• LANGA – Langa Mavuso
• Sindisiwe – LaSauce
• Small World – Ricky Tyler
• Uhambo – Soul Kulture

Best Hip Hop Album

• 4436 – Boity
• Nadia Naked II – Nadia Nakai
• Zulu With Some Power – Nasty C
• Pop Star – Yanga Chief
• Zakwe & Duncan – Zakwe & Duncan

Best Kwaito Album

• Sgubhu OverDoze – Lvovo & Danger
• Endaweni – Darkie Fiction
• Don’t Lose Hope – Sukiripapa
• Bhut’Madlisa – Mampintsha
• Ama Roto EP – Reece Madlisa & Zuma

Best Dance Album

• To The World & Beyond – Sun-El Musician
• For The Goovists – Oscar Mbo
• Xola Moya Wam’ – Nomcebo Zikode
• The Healers: The Last Chapter – Black Motion
• We Made It – Mi Casa

Best Traditional Faith Music Album

• Worship House Project 17, Chapter II – Worship House
• Buya Nkosi – Thinah Zungu
• Spiritual Encounter – Bucy Radebe
• Wathi Eloyi Eloyi – Sipho Makhabane
• Izulu – Sneziey

Best Contemporary Faith Music Album

• Devotion – Nqubeko Mbatha
• Face 2 Face – Collen Maluleke
• Jesus is Enough – Xolly Mncwango
• Your Kingdom on Earth – Hle
• The Promised Revival Part One – Tshwane Gospel Choir

Best African Indigenous Faith Music Album

• Makhosi Akithi – Vuma Zion
• Izwi Lakho – Mandlethu Gospel Singers
• Katlehong Gospel Choir Artist Development – Katlehong Gospel Choir Artist Development
• Sithembe Wena Nkosi – JTG Gospel Choir
• Enyokumkhonza – Enyonini Mission Ministries

Rest of Africa Award

• Unity Album – Buffalo Souljah
• A Better Time – Davido
• Made in Lagos – Wizkid
• Midnight Train – Sauti Sol
• Songs in the Key of Love – Berita

Best Traditional Album

• Love and War – Henny C
• What a Life – Sho Madjozi
• Angeke Bakuthande Boke – Smangele
• Shebeen Queen – Vusi Mahlasela
• Ndavhuko – Vendaboy Poet

Best Maskandi

• Amagupta – iChwane Lebhaca
• Ziyangiluma Izinja – Phuzekhemisi
• Iqatha Eliziqobayo – Thokozani Langa
• Banathi Shaqa – Imithente
• Imfene Kamakhelwane – Abafana Baka Mgqumeni

Best Jazz Album

• Africado – BandaBanda & The Crocodiles
• An Open Dialogue – Linda Sikhakhane
• iHubo Labomdabu – Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane
• Modes of Communication: Letters From The Underworlds – Nduduzo Makhathini
• Thandi Ntuli (Live at Jazzwerkstatt) – Thandi Ntuli

Best Classical/Instrumental Album

• Live in Cape Town – Guy Battery & Derek Gripper
• Imagine – Charles du Plessis Trio
• Live in Lisbon – Nibs van der Spuy & Guy Battery
• Tek’o – CH2
• We’ve All Known All Times – Wouter Kellerman

Best Afropop Album

• Ingoma – Azana
• Molimo – Manu Worldstar
• Ngumama – Vusi Nova
• The Voice of Africa – Kelly Khumalo
• Tugela Fairy (Made of Stars) – Simmy

Best Live Audio Visual Recording of the Year

• Your Kingdom on Earth – HLE
• The Throne (Live Edition) – Presss
• Spiritual Encounter – Bucy Radebe
• My Hart Klop Refentse – Refentse
• A Journey to the World & Beyond – Sun-El Musician

Best Collaboration

• ‘Uthando’ – Darque ft. Zakes Bantwini
• ‘Ek Like Hoe Jy Dans’ – Chê ft. Snotkop
• ‘Mali Eningi’ – Big Zulu ft. Riky Rick & Intaba Yase Dubai
• ‘Senzeni’ – Mthandazo Gatya ft. Comado & DJ Manzo SA
• ‘Yehla Moya’ – Da Capo & Nduduzo Makhathini ft. Omagugu

Best Produced Music Video

• ‘Where is the DJ’ by Malumz on Decks ft. Khanyisa – Oscar Nyathi
• ‘Qhawe’ – Made to Create by Toya Delazy – Kyle Lewis & Vjorn Tucker
• ‘Mamela’ by Mi Casa – Katya Abedian
• ‘Lucky Star’ by K.O – Adam Zackon & Dale Fortune
• ‘Hosh’ by Prince Kaybee ft. Sir Trill – Ofentse

Best Produced Album of the Year

• In the Beginning Was the End by Manana – Manana & Noble
• Ithemba by Luyolo – Marcus MC & Andy Keys
• Umsebenzi by Sjava – Delaydem, Ruff, Webmoms, Zadok & Vuyo Manyike
• Tugela Fairy: Made of Stars by Simmy – Sun-El Musician, Claudio Wayde, Da Capo & Mpho Mohlolong
• The Healers: The Last Chapter – Black Motion

Best Engineered Album of the Year

• Swingle Bells by Jonathan Roxmouth – Adam Howard
• Goodluck Upclose by Goodluck – Murray Anderson & Andrew Rawborn
• Isambulo by 1020 Cartel Artists – Mfanafuthi Ruff
• The Second Coming by Kid Tini – James Smals, Kitie, Ron Epidemic & Tweezy
• Inganekwane by Zoe Modiga – Papi Diretsi & Songo Oyama

Remix of the Year

• ‘Jerusalema’ – Kid Fonque
• ‘Ndanele’ – Dwson
• ‘Sala Nabani’ – Sun-El Musician, Claudio & Kenza
• ‘Speak Lord’ – Sculpturedmusic
• ‘Yehla Moya’ – Da Capo

Best Reggae Album

• The Journey – Ras Canly
• Persistence – Bongo Riot
• My Music – Freeky
• On the Frontline – Reign Africa
• Empathy Riddim – Lavoro Duro

Best Amapiano Album

• Musical Kings – MFR Souls
• Back to Love – Junior Taurus
• I Am The King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust – Kabza De Small
• Once Upon A Time In Lockdown – Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa (Scorpion Kings)
• Shonamalanga – Mas Musiq & Aymos

Best Gqom Album

• We Don’t Play the Same Gqom – Que
• Make Cape Town Great Again – Mshayi & Mr Thela
• Isiqalo – DragerNation
• InzaloYekwaito – Zinaro
• Idando Kazi – Babes Wodumo