The South African Music Awards (SAMAs) celebrate their 25th awards ceremony, dubbed SAMA25, in epic style at the Superbowl arena at Sun City Resort on Sunsay.
For the second year in a row, Joyous Celebration were the biggest winners of the SAMAs. The gospel group walked away with three awards: SAMRO and Capasso Best Selling Digital Artist, Best Selling DVD and Best Selling Artist.
Legendary house DJ, Black Coffee, who had been nominated for five awards, walked away with Male Artist of the Year for his internationally acclaimed album, Music Is King, while mercurial rap talent Nasty C beat out stiff competition from the likes of AKA, HHP and Emtee to walk away with the hotly contested Best Hip Hop Album award. Nasty C also walked away with the Best Engineered Album award, while his labelmate Lady Zamar’s smash hit Collide took home the Highest Airplay of the Year and Highest Airplay Composer’s Award for its stunning run on radio over the last year.
Thank you for following and understanding my Musical Journey...didn't do it alone Thanks to all the amazing Artists I worked with on the Project...and Thank you @TheSAMAs for the great honor.
As a Father I'm also Proud of my young man ❤️ pic.twitter.com/vL2BRunuZQ
— Black Coffee (@RealBlackCoffee) June 1, 2019
Sho Madjozi (who is interestingly nominated for a BET award this year) and Sjava, who is still riding the wave of his BET nod in 2018, were both heavily favoured going into the evening. Impressively, they bagged two awards apiece.
Amazing to see @MlindoRSA perform #Egoli ft. @Sjava_atm at @TheSAMAs #SAMA25🎤 pic.twitter.com/GKw0slMFA3
— Sony Music Africa (@SonyMusicAfrica) June 1, 2019
Sho Madjozi’s performance was one of the most popular of the night and Sjava received one of the warmest welcomes of the evening when he went on stage to collect his award for Best Afro Pop Album as the crowd sang his hit single, uMama.
For the first time ever, there were three sets of hosts at this year’s awards: Bob Mabena teamed up with Melanie Bala to recreate the magic and rapport that made them a formidable 1990s TV couple, Lesedi FM host Twasa Seoke joins forces with hip-hop star Khuli Chana to relive the moments that made the 2000s such a vibrant period in local music, and comedian Mpho Popps and actress Nomzamo Mbatha represented the period after 2010. Popps was impressive and should be considered to be a lead host himself in future.
The stars in the sky have nothing on our #SAMA25 stars! ✨ pic.twitter.com/fqHxBxrByA
— The SA Music Awards (@TheSAMAs) June 1, 2019
SAMA25 took it back with old school records performed by the likes of Mahotella Queens, Bongo Maffin, Trompies and several other legends of yesteryear. Dancers from Tswelelang Cultural Dancers and VhaVenda Cultural Group also took to the stage.
The powerful voices of gospel legend Rebecca Malope and SAMA25 nominee Ntokozo Mbambo also impressed during the Gospel segment.
There was a heartwarming moment when the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded to the late hip hop star HHP, kwaito legends TKZee and acclaimed 90s group Mango Groove.
The record of the year, the night’s most anticipated award was, to many people’s surprise, won by Holly Rey for Deeper.
The night was capped off in a rapturous finale that featured performances from stars across kwaito, gqom and amapiano such as Kelly Khumalo, DJ Sumbody, Dladla Mshunqisi and Mobi Dixon.
Full Winners List
Best Adult Contemporary Album: Ard Matthews - Impossible Machines
Best African Adult Contemporary Album: Nathi- Iphupha Labantu
Best Alternative Album: Nakhane - You Will Not Die
Best R&b/soul Album: Zonke - L.o.v.e
Best Reggae Album: Black Dillinger - Mavara Is King
Best Contemporary Faith Music Album: We Will Worship - Seasons Volume 1
Beste Kontemporêre Musiek Album: Coenie De Villiers - Pure Coenie
Best Jazz Album: Bokani Dyer Trio - Neo Native
Rest of Africa Award: Diamond Platinumz - a Boy From Tandale
Best Live Audio Visual Recording of the Year: Cassper Nyovest - Fill Up Orlando Stadium- Robin Kohl
Best Collaboration: Black Coffee Feat. David Guetta and Delilah Montagu - Drive
Music Video of the Year: Jeremy Loops - Gold by Robert Smith
Best Produced Album of the Year: Nasty C - Strings and Bling by Nsikayesizwe David Junior Ngcobo, Sipho Dlamini and Collin Gayle
Best Engineered Album of the Year: Vusi Nova - Manyan-nyan by Robin Walsh
Remix of the Year: Zakwe - Sebentin by Cassper Nyovest, Hhp, Blaklez, Kwesta and Musiholiq
Best Selling DVD: Joyous Celebration 22 All for You
Best Selling Artist: Joyous Celebration - Umoya Kulendawo
Samro/capasso Highest Airplay Composer’s Award: Lady Zamar -Collide
Sampra Highest Airplay of the Year Award: Lady Zamar -Collide
Best Traditional Faith Music Album: Spirit of Praise - Spirit of Praise Vol.7
Best African Indigenous Faith Music Album: Ithemba Le-africa - Sesiphunyukile
Best Traditional Album: Candy - Hupenyu Unenge Viri
Best Kwaito/gqom/amapiano Album: Spikiri - King Don Father
Best Afro Pop Album: Sjava - Umqhele
Beste Pop Album: Snotkop- Sous
Best Pop Album: Tresor - Nostalgia
Best Rock Album: Dan Patlansky - Perfection Kills
Best Hip Hop Album: Nasty C - Strings and Bling
Best Dance Album: Black Motion - Moya Wa Taola
Best Maskandi Album: Sgwebo Sentambo -Yekani Umona
Newcomer of the Year: Sho Madjozi - Limpopo Champions League
Duo or Group of the Year: Black Motion - Moya Wa Taola
Female Artist of the Year: Sho Madjozi - Limpopo Champions League
Male Artist of the Year: Black Coffee - Music Is King
Album of the Year: Sjava - Umqhele
Record of the Year:
Lifetime Achievers Award: Tkzee, Mango Groove and HHP