#SAMA26: Somizi dances to Jerusalema plus ALL the winners

Afro-pop duo Blaq Diamond flew high on the last night of the SAMA26 five-night lockdown special. Their hit single, Ibhanoyi, came out tops to take the prestigious Record of the Year award. This is one of the two public-voted awards where music fans make their voice heard by choosing from the top 20 songs shortlisted. Last night, rapper AKA won the Music Video of the Year award for Jika featuring Yanga Chief.

Dance music maestro Prince Kaybee made a clean sweep scoring major wins in the Album of the Year and Best Dance Album categories. He picked up the Male Artist of the Year earlier in the week to become one of the three most awarded artists of the 2020 edition of SAMAs.

With three awards, Prince Kaybee is tied with jazz newcomer Ndabo Zulu (& Umgidi Ensemble), who won the Duo/Group of the Year tonight, having already won Newcomer of the Year and Best Jazz Album awards earlier in the week. Gospel legend, Bishop Benjamin Dube also walked away with three gongs for Best Live Audio Visual, Best Contemporary Faith Album and Lifetime Achievement Award.

Francois van Coke’s Dagdrome in Surburbia earned him the Best Rock Album award. Malumz on Decks claimed the Best Remix award for Shay’inumber. International Achievement honourees were Ndlovu Youth Choir.

True to the SAMA tradition, performances included Kabza De Small and Sha Sha doing it for the Yanos as they set the place on fire with the Amapiano set of Koko and Tender Love, performed with dancers in a dance studio.

Nasty C debuted his newest singles That’s Hard and Palm Trees and Holly Rey, winner of last year’s Record of the Year, performed You on a rooftop.

Taking viewers to the afterparty was an intoxicating mix of Amapiano club banger such as International by SAMA26 nominee Vigro Deep, while a montage of the highlights of the past five nights showing how South Africa partied in lockdown from the safety of their homes.

The SAMA sprang a surprise twist with the appearance of Somizi Mhlongo dancing to Jerusalema, the song that has transformed into a global dance anthem by South African hitmaker Master KG featuring Nomcebo.

Nhlanhla Sibisi, RiSA CEO remarked: “It has been a great week of celebration and festivities. We at the SAMA are delighted that despite the Covid-19 restrictions of lockdown and social distancing, the show indeed has gone on. We extend our congratulations to all the musicians who received the prestigious SAMA, as well as the nominees and our honourees. Let’s stand by our artists and support their efforts.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to the creatives behind the scenes who brought this lockdown spectacle to life and for five nights entertained South Africans. A message of gratitude to our sponsors My Muze by Vodacom and broadcast partner Mzansi Magic, DStv channel 161. We look forward to SAMA27 with the hope that our country and the world would be in a better place, free from Covid-19, for now keep safe and keep the music playing.”

• SAMA26 was streamed on mymuze.com by Vodacom and broadcast on Mzansi Magic, DStv channel 161 from 3 to 7 August 2020 at 9.30pm. SAMA26 episodes are available on DStv Catch Up.

#ForThaClub Winners

Best Rock Album:

Dagdrome in Surburbia by Francois van Coke

Duo/Group of the Year:

Ndabo Zulu & Umgidi Ensemble for Queen Nandi

Album of the Year:

Re Mmino by Prince Kaybee

International Achievement Award

Ndlovu Youth Choir

Best Remix

Shay’inumber  by Malumz on Decks

Best Dance Album: in Partnership with Yfm

Re Mmino by Prince Kaybee

Record Of The Year:

Ibhanoyi by Blaq Diamond

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