Capetonian indie-pop trio Beatenberg were the big winners at the XXI Annual South African Music Awards on Sunday night, taking home a total of six awards for their album The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg.
Capetonian indie-pop trio Beatenberg were the big winners at the XXI Annual South African Music Awards on Sunday night, taking home a total of six awards for their album The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg.
At a star-studded live awards ceremony at the Sun City Superbowl, the band swept the key categories Album of the Year, Duo or Group of the Year and Best Pop Album.
Prior to that, during the non-broadcast component of the show when the industry awards were presented, Pluto (Remember You), Beatenberg’s smash hit anthem with DJ Clock, was named Best Selling Ring-back Tone and Best Selling Full-track Download, and also received the SAMPRA Award for Highest Airplay of the Year.
As the awards reached their climax, the anticipation was palpable among the 10 finalists before Danny K and Kabelo revealed that the winner of the Kia Record of the Year award was Caracara by KO ft. Kid X. The track had secured the most SMS votes from the South African public, signalling true music democracy in action as the awards turned 21 in the same year that the new South Africa comes of age.
The XXI Annual South African Music Awards impressed with a spectacular live show hosted by HHP and featuring slick performances by several nominees and winners. Among the highlights were an on-stage collaboration between AKA, Duncan and Mdu Masilela, another cross-genre splice featuring Simphiwe Dana and Kurt Darren, and a rock-meets-rap mash-up featuring Prime Circle and Cassper Nyovest.
Nyovest, who had headed into the XXI Annual South African Music Awards with a mammoth five nominations, picked up the Newcomer of the Year Award. Fellow hip-hop artist AKA walked away with the coveted Male Artist of the Year SAMA. But in the Best Rap Album category, in which both were nominated, the award went to K.O., who also scooped the trophy for Best Collaboration (Caracara, featuring Kid X).
Another major winner was flautist Wouter Kellerman, whose Grammy-winning album Winds of Samsara won the award for Best Classical/Instrumental Album. Kellerman and Ricky Kej also shared the Best Producer of the Year award for the album. He was also garlanded with the International Achievement Award, sponsored by the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO).
Namibian-born singer-songwriter Riana Nel also now has two prized SAMAs to adorn her mantelpiece; for Beste Pop Album (Afrikaans) and Best Selling Album.
Bucie was named Female Artist of the Year, while songstress Lira added to her growing collection of SAMAs with another Best Live DVD trophy. Veteran musician McCoy Mrubata collected the laurels for Best Jazz Album, with Professor triumphing in the Best Kwaito Album category.
The Best Rock Album category was won by aKing, with rock music also featuring prominently in the Best Music Video of the Year category, won by director Ryan Kruger for Prime Circle’s Let the Night In. Bittereinder’s Skerm was crowned Best Alternative Album.
Black Motion clinched the Best Dance Album honours, with the track Indlela Yam winning the Remix of the Year Award for DJ Sbu, Robbie Malinga and Mojalefa Thebe.
Maleh, Niemand and Dewald Wasserfall were the victors in the African, English and Afrikaans categories for adult contemporary music respectively. And Afrotraction swept aside strong competition to conquer the Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album category.
Lifetime Achievement Awards, sponsored by Amstel, were handed to kwaito trailblazers Mandla “Spikiri” Mofokeng and Mdu Masilela. On a poignant note, a third Lifetime Achievement Award was presented posthumously to the late, great jazz genius, Zim Ngqawana.
There was star power in abundance on the night, with awards presented by the likes of Khaya Mthethwa, Dozi, Ringo Madlingozi, Maleh, Reason, Bucie, Trompies, Zama Ngcobo, Arno Carstens, Rob & Fix, Thami Ngubeni, Benjamin Dube, Skwatta Kamp, Vuyo Dabula, Letoya Makhene, Pearl Thusi, Zuluboy and Kabelo.
It all added up to a glorious showcase of South African music excellence by a constellation of new, established and pioneering stars in the local music pantheon. Those who missed the glitz and glamour, hugs and tears, drama and delight of the XXI Annual South African Music Awards can check out highlights and packaged content on the mobisite (www.samatv.mobi).
For more information, visit www.samusicawards.co.za and find the nominated albums at:
• iTunes.com/SAMAXXI
• iTunes.com/mzansihits
• iTunes.com/mzansihouse
• iTunes.com/Afrikaans
• The XXI Annual South African Music Awards is organised by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA).
Related
• The XXI Annual South African Music Awards is made possible with the generous support of official broadcast sponsor SABC1, Amstel Lager, SAMRO, official vehicle sponsor Kia Motors SA, mobile streaming partner PockitTV and event sponsor Sun International, supported by the National Department of Arts and Culture and the North West Provincial Government.
XXI ANNUAL SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC AWARDS
WINNERS: MAIN AWARDS
• Album of the Year
Beatenberg The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg
• Duo or Group of the Year
Beatenberg The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg
• Female Artist of the Year
Bucie Princess of House (Easy to Love)
• Male Artist of the Year
AKA Levels
• Newcomer of the Year
Cassper Nyovest Tsholofelo
• Best Rock Album
aKing Morning After
• Best Pop Album
Beatenberg The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg
• Beste Pop Album (Afrikaans)
Riana Nel Die Regte Tyd
• Best Rap Album
K.O. Skhanda Republic
• Best Kwaito Album
Professor University of Kalawa Jazmee Since 1994
• Best Dance Album
Black Motion Fortune Teller
• Best Traditional Faith Music Album
S’fiso Ncwane Bayede Baba
KIA RECORD OF THE YEAR
Caracara – K.O. ft. Kid X
SPECIAL AWARDS
• Lifetime Achievement Awards
Zim Ngqawana
Mdu Masilela
Mandla “Spikiri” Mofokeng
• International Achievement Award
Wouter Kellerman
WINNERS: INDUSTRY AWARDS
• Best Adult Contemporary Album
Niemand Back Again
• Beste Kontemporêre Musiek Album
Dewald Wasserfall #EkEnJy
• Best African Adult Album
Maleh You Make My Heart Go
• Best Alternative Album
Bittereinder Skerm
• Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album
Afrotraction For the Lovers
• Best Contemporary Faith Music Album
Loyiso Bala Power Love Sound
• Best Traditional Music Album
Botlhale Boikanyo Spoken Word & Music
• Best Maskandi Album
Thokozani Langa Igema Lami
• Best Jazz Album
McCoy Mrubata Brasskap Sessions Vol. 2
• Best Classical and/or Instrumental Album
Wouter Kellerman Winds of Samsara
• Best Live DVD
Lira First Decade (producer: Robin Kohl)
• Best Collaboration
K.O. ft. Kid X Caracara
• Remix of the Year
DJ Sbu, Robbie Malinga Indlela Yam by DJ Sbu
& Mojalefa Thebe
• Best Music Video of the Year
Ryan Kruger (director) Let the Night In by Prime Circle
• Best Producer of the Year
Wouter Kellerman & Winds of Samsara by Wouter Kellerman
Ricky Kej
• Best Engineer of the Year
Brian O’Shea, Crighton Johnny Apple by Johnny Apple
Goodwill & Marius Brouwer
BEST SELLING MOBILE MUSIC DOWNLOADS
• Best Selling Album
Die Regte Tyd – Riana Nel
• Best Selling DVD
Vol. 18 One Purpose – Joyous Celebration
• Best Selling Ring-Back Tone
Pluto (Remember You) – DJ Clock ft. Beatenberg
• Best Selling Full-Track Download
Pluto (Remember You) – DJ Clock ft. Beatenberg
SAMPRA AWARD
• Highest Airplay of the Year (2014)
Pluto (Remember You) – DJ Clock ft. Beatenberg
