Samas 27: Nominations are out and men are leading the nods

The South African Music Awards (Samas) have announced the nominees for this year’s instalment, with a few surprises.

The artist with the most nominations went to music producer and DJ Kabza De Small. He received nods for Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Best Amapiano Album. His collaboration with DJ Maphorisa, for the album Once Upon A Time in Lockdown, received six nominations.

Sun-El Musician is in hot pursuit, with five nominations for Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Best Amapiano Album.

The 27th annual Samas have introduced a few new categories, finally introducing best amapiano, gqom and kwaito albums as their own categories. Before, all three music genres were placed under one.

It will be interesting to see the reaction from the music industry to this year’s nominees. In the past, the award show was dogged by allegations of payola from recording labels.

ALSO READ: Samas hit back at Cassper’s ‘meaningless awards’ jibe

Complete 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

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

Artist of the Year

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

Male Artist of the Year

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

Newcomer of the Year

• Jesus is Enough – Xolly Mncwango
• On the Frontline – Reign Africa
• 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
• POPSTAR – 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

• Project 17 – Chapter 2 – 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 and Guy Battery
• Tek’o – CH2
• We’ve All Known The Times – Wouter Kellerman

Best Afro Pop 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 featuring Zakes Bantwini
• Ek Like Hoe Jy Dans – Chê featuring Snotkop
• Mali Eningi – Big Zulu featuring Riky Rick & Intaba Yase Dubai
• Senzeni – Mthandazo Gatya featuring Comado & DJ Manzo SA
• Yehla Moya – Da Capo & Nduduzo Makhathini featuring Omagugu

Best Produced Music Video

• Where is the DJ by Malumz on Decks featuring 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 featuring 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