Ladysmith Black Mambazo host first annual Cothoza Music Awards
Professor Joseph Shabalala, who founded Ladysmith Black Mambazo 59 years ago, is ecstatic that the awards have finally taken place
Five-time Grammy Award winning Ladysmith Black Mambazo hosted the Cothoza Music Awards (COMAs) on Saturday, June 22, at The Durban Playhouse.
As the first annual isicathamiya awards, the COMAs was the culmination of a three-day programme at The Durban Playhouse that included a masterclass on Wednesday and the Cothoza Music Concert on Thursday.
Professor Joseph Shabalala, who founded internationally acclaimed legends Ladysmith Black Mambazo 59 years ago, is ecstatic that the awards have finally taken place, since it has been his “long-time dream for isicathamiya music to be recognised not only as a national music treasure, but also as a great cultural export”.
The awards ceremony was not only to honour isicathamiya artists, but was a night filled with entertaining live performances from Ladysmith Black Mambazo, The Soil, The Legacy, Abathandwa Ithemba, as well as the acts who were being honoured.
Also read: Good News Alert: Petrol price might drop by almost R1 next month
The awards were presented by Dudu Khoza and Uzalo actor Masoja Msiza.
Says Albert Mazibuko, who has been in Ladysmith Black Mambazo since it began, “The COMAs will honour and acknowledge great contributions made by isicathamiya groups dating back from the era of Solomon Linda, who created the globally known classic ‘Imbube’, and also acknowledge the current isicathamiya artists who are the torchbearers of this iconic music genre.”
Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s Sibongiseni Shabalala explains, “The COMAs are designed to create a sustainable market for the isicathamiya music genre and see it getting the media exposure it deserves.”
Click to receive news links via WhatsApp. Or for the latest news, visit our webpage or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Join us there!
