19 April 2005
SA music shone brightly at the 11th South African Music Awards (Samas) at the Sun City Superbowl in North West province on the weekend, with stunning performances from Zamajobe and Themba Mkhize, Sugardrive, Brown Dash and Mzekezeke, Pitch Black Afro and Zola, Danny K and Mandoza, Ringo and Simphiwe Dana, Malaika and Thandiswa Mazwai.
At Saturday night's event, sponsored by MTN and broadcast live by the SABC, Thandiswa Mazwai was named Best Female Artist of the Year, also winning Best Adult Contemporary Album of the Year (African) for her debut solo offering "Zabalaza".
Kwaito sensation Brown Dash also walked away with two awards: Best Kwaito Album for "Mthandazo Wabolova", and Song of the Year - decided by public vote - for his hit "Phans' Komthunz' Welanga" from the same album.
In the other award of the evening decided by public vote, Zola was named Artist of the Year.
Danny K and Mandoza won the Best Pop Album award for "Same Difference", while the Best Selling Album award went to Malaika.
Traditional musicians honoured
At the first leg of the awards, at the Royal Chamber at Sun City's Palace Hotel on Friday night, the focus was on indigenous music.
Hosted by Fezile Mpela, and featuring live performances by Umanji, Wessel van Rensburg and Elle, the first award, for Best Traditional Gospel Album, went to the group Amadodana AseWesile for their album "Thixo Ova Izikhungo".
Simphiwe Dana from the Eastern Cape won Best Jazz Vocal Album for her debut album "Zandisile", while Umanji was honoured as the Best Male Composer for his song "Moruti Samba" from the album "O baba o re ha".
Lifetime Achievement Awards were given to Sipho "Hotstix" Mabuse, Dorothy Masuka, and the late Brenda Fassie and Margaret Singana.
Friday night's event also honoured winners in the more technical categories of the MTN Samas. The award for Best DVD went to the musical "Umoja: The Spirit of Togetherness", while Malambule took the Best Producer award for work on Thandiswa Mazwai's solo debut album, "Zabalaza".
Evert de Munnik was the winner in the category Best Engineer for his work on Sakhile's "Togetherness".
All the Sama 2005 winners:
Best Female Artist - Thandiswa Mazwai ("Zabalaza")
Best Male Artist - Themba Mkhize ("Hands On")
Best Duo or Group - Revolution ("Another Level")
Best Newcomer - Simphiwe Dana ("Zandisile")
Artist of the Year (decided by public vote) - Zola ("Bhambatha")
Song of the Year (decided by public vote) - Brown Dash for "Phans' Komthunz' Welanga"
Best Female Composer - Nianell for "We'll Find a Way"
Best Male Composer - Umanji for "Moruti Samba" from the album "O baba o re ha"
Best Joint Composition - Sipho Gumede and Ernie Smith for "Whisper" from the album "African Sunrise"
Lifetime Achievement Winners - Sipho Mabuse, Brenda Fassie, Margaret Singana & Dorothy Masuku
Best Traditional Jazz Album - McCoy Mrubata for "Icamagu Livumile"
Best Contemporary Jazz Album - Tlale Makhene for "The Ascension of the Enlightened"
Best Jazz Vocal Album - Simphiwe Dana for "Zandisile"
Best Adult Contemporary Album: African - Thandiswa for "Zabalaza"
Best Adult Contemporary Album: Afrikaans - Coenie de Villiers for "Handgemaak"
Best Adult Contemporary Album: English - Nianell for "Angel Tongue"
Best Pop Album - Mandoza & Danny K for "Same Difference"
Best African Pop Album - Mafikizolo for "Van Toeka Af Nisixoshelani"
Best Rock Album - Sugardrive for "Love Etc ..."
Best R&B Album - Loyiso for "Amplified"
Best Dance Album - Lebo Mathosa for "Drama Queen"
Best Rap Album - Mr Selwyn for "Formula"
Best Kwaito Album - Brown Dash for "Mthandazo Wabolova"
Best Contemporary Gospel Album - Joyous Celebration for "Joyous Celebration 8"
Best Traditional Gospel Album - Amadodana AseWesile for "Thixo Ova Izikhungo"
Best African Gospel Album - Deborah for "Ngikuxolele"
Best Instrumental Album - Wessel van Rensburg for "African Baroque"
Best Mbhaqanga Album - Soul Brothers for "Igobondela"
Best Maskandi Album - Phuzekhemisi for "Uyisipoki"
Best Tsonga Music - Themba Chauke ("Ninge Cini")
Best Music Video - Supervillain for "Indoda" by Mandoza
Best DVD - "Umoja: The Spirit of Togetherness"
Best Selling Album of the Year - "Malaika" by Malaika
Best Producer - Malumbule for "Zabalaza" by Thandiswa
Best Engineer - Evert de Munnik for "Togetherness" by Sakhile
SouthAfrica.info reporter
