Kabza De Small leads the nominations for the 32nd South African Music Awards (SAMAs) with five nods, as the full list of contenders across 25 categories was unveiled online on 25 June. The awards ceremony will take place at the Sun City Superbowl in North West Province on 15 August.
Top Nominees
Kabza De Small‘s album Bab’Motha earned nominations in two categories, while his collaborative work secured three additional nods.
- Best Amapiano Album – Bab’Motha
- Best Engineered Album – Bab’Motha
- Best Collaboration
- Best Produced Music Video
- Remix of the Year
DJ Maphorisa and Nasty C each received three nominations. DJ Maphorisa’s nods include Best Collaboration and Best Produced Music Video for ‘Abantwana Bakho’, as well as Best Collaboration for ‘Dlala Ka Yona’. Nasty C’s Free was shortlisted for Best Hip Hop Album and Best Engineered Album, while ‘Leftie (Dlala Ngcobo)’ earned a nomination for Best Produced Music Video.
Kelvin Momo secured two nominations in the Best Amapiano Album category for N’wana Wa Mutsonga and Thato Ya Modimo, and also appears in the Remix of the Year category through Eningi (Remix).
Other artists with multiple nominations include Samthing Soweto (Best Afro Pop Album and Best Engineered Album for Touch is a Move (Good Morning)), Shekhinah (Best Pop Album and Best Produced Album for Less Trouble), Langa Mavuso (Best R&B Soul Album and Best Produced Album for Therapy: The Other Side), and Guy Buttery (Best Classical Instrumental Album and Best Engineered Album for Orchestrations).
Category Contenders
The Best Afro Pop Album category features CiCi (Busisiwe 2.0), Lwah Ndlunkulu (Amaciko), Sjava (Inkanyezi 2.0 (Live)), Nomfundo Moh (Out The Box) and Samthing Soweto (Touch is a Move (Good Morning)).
Best Dance Album nominees are MaWhoo, MÖRDA, Da Capo, Dlala Thukzin and JAZZWRLD with Thukuthela.
The Best Maskandi Album category includes Saliwa, Mbuzeni, Ntencane, Smiramira and Mzukulu.
Jazz category nominees are Mandisi Dyantyis, Paras “Sibalukhulu” Dlamini, Temba Ncetani, Lumanyano Mzi and Billy Monama.
Best Pop Album contenders are Will Linley, Matt Gardiner, Shekhinah, Anica Kiana and Tannah.
The Rest of Africa Award will be contested by Ghanaian artists Gyakie and Black Sherif, alongside Nigerian acts Olamide, Wizkid, Asake and Tiwa Savage.
