What to expect at this year’s Metro FM Awards

If you’re planning on attending or watching the 15th Annual Metro FM Awards later this month, you should expect nothing less then a spectacular show, according to the station’s new manager, Sibongile Mtyali, who says Metro FM has pulled out the big guns to make this year’s show a success.

“We’re calling this year’s awards The Platinum Edition,” she says proudly. “It’s going to be so much better than the ones before.” The station has already secured top entertainers and media personalities to be part of the awards.

“Everyone that is considered a celebrity in our country is going to be involved with the awards this year and the performers will not disappoint,” she says. This year, the Best Pan African category has been added to the awards with musicians such as Burna Boy, Wiz Kid and Patoranking up for an award.

“It’s so frustrating to see how African musicians are celebrated overseas before they are recognised here at home. This category is about praising musicians on other parts of the continent who are making waves,” Mtyali says. On the decision to give each winner R100 000 cash, Mtyali says: “One of the biggest problems in our music industry is money. How many times have we seen popular musicians who die poor?

“As a brand we’ve always been interested in finding ways to build wealth within the music industry. We’ve been preaching about how we want musicians to see their value and treat themselves like a business. Now we are putting our money where our mouth is.” Mtyali says the decision to add money to the prize was not a difficult one. “We all agreed right from the start and set out to find sponsors for the money.”

Other interesting additions to the awards this year include a fashion and comedy show, as well as a music workshop, aimed at getting some of the big names in music to share their secrets to success with up-and-coming musicians. “The days when Metro FM was only about music are long gone,” Mtyali says.

“We are growing into a very influential lifestyle brand and want to celebrate and empower people in our entertainment industry. ”