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Nominees for this year’s Zimbabwe Music Awards will be announced today ahead of the grand finale that has been set for November 28 at Meikles Hotel in Harare.

There are 24 categories with five new ones which are Mbaqanga, Tshibilika Ekhaya Music, musician from the Sadc region who has done well in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwean Music Ambassador and Imbube. The sungura category will no doubt get music enthusiasts talking as all the top artistes in the genre have new albums.

Allan Chimbetu who won the accolade last year faces stiff competition from seasoned Alick Macheso, Tongai Moyo, Hosiah Chipanga, Nicholas Zakaria, Muzarabani-based Njerama Boys, Cephas Mashakada and to a lesser extent Joseph Garakara. The producer of the year award has always left out icons such as Bothwell Nyamhondera who has produced top sellers among them Macheso, Tongai and Somandla Ndebele.

It’s yet to be seen what this year’s category has in store as the last edition featured Elias Musakwa, Macdonald Chidavaenzi and Norman Tapambwa. Another tight contest is in the Best Choral Group category where Chiedza Chevatendi, Vabati VeVhangeri and ZCC Mbungo Hotline and ZCC Defe Dopota Brass bands have done well. The Chegutu-based Chiedza Chevatendi, who made a breakthrough with Ivhu Kuvhu last year, released Uchanotaura Chokwadi while another apostolic group Vabati VeVhangeri is currently on cloud nine with Gare Gare.

The Bikita-based Mbungo Hotline won a double disc award for their hit album Ndashaiwa Paumire while their other group Defe Dopota has always been spoken about. Another showdown is in the mbira category between Mbira DzeNharira and Mawungira eNharira who both have released well-polished albums Fare Fare Tindike and Chinemanenji. There can also be a surprise package in the category in the form of Hweva Mbira who are doing well with their latest album called Misumo. Mercy Mutsvene, who won a platinum disc for her album Nyika in the revived Gramma Records, Zimbabwe Music Corporation and Ngaavongwe awards, is likely to face Rumbidzai Zvirikuzhe and Mai Guvamombe in the Best Gospel (Female) category.

Ndux Junior and Chase Skuza who have furthered the legacy left by the late Nduna Malaba and Solomon Skuza are set to feature in the Tshibilika Ekhaya Music category. Roki’s Chidzoka and ExQ might lock horns in Best Urban Grooves Male Artiste award.

Via The Herald

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Best Album – Nelly Furtado, LooseInter Act – Tokio Hotel

Artist’s Choice (chosen by MTV) - Amy Winehouse

Most Addictive track – Avril Lavigne, Girlfriend

Video Star – Justice, D.A.N.C.E

Rock Out – 30 Seconds to Mars

Band – Linkin Park

Ultimate Urban – Rihanna

Headliner – Muse

Solo – Avril Lavigne

New sounds of Europe – Bedwetters (Estonia)

Free Your Mind (chosen by MTV) - Anton Abele РBevara oss fr̴n gatuv̴ldet

Best Danish Act – Nephew

Best German Act – Bushido

Best French Act – Justice

Best Italian Act – J-Ax

Best Adriatic Act – Van Gogh (Serbia)

Best Dutch/Belgian act – Within Temptation (Netherlands)

Best Polish Act – Doda

Best Finnish Act – Negative

Best UK & Irish Act – Muse

Best Portuguese Act – Da Weasel

Best Romanian Act – Andreea Bănică

Best Norwegian Act – El Axel

Best Swedish Act – Neverstore

Best Baltic Act – Jurga

Best Spanish Act – Violadores del Verso

Best Turkish Act – Ceza

Best Hungarian Act – Ákos

Best Russian Act – Dima Bilan

Best African Act – d’banj

Best Arab Act – Rashed Al-Majed

Best Ukrainian Act – Lama

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The 14th Annual MTN SA Music Awards will take place in May 2008 and will open for entries on 29 October 2007 and close on 30 November 2007.

With the exception of a handful of categories, product released between 1 December 2006 and 30 November 2007 will be eligible for entry into 2008’s edition of the awards. Those categories where the release date of the album is not considered are Best Selling Album, the Lifetime Achievement Award, Best Music Video and Record of the Year. The proprietary online entry system for record companies will once again be used for the submission of entries. Entry forms must be completed and submitted online at www.samusicawards.co.za.

Alternatively, RiSA staff have set up a helpdesk at their premises to assist anyone who cannot make use of the online entry system. RiSA’s offices are located at Unit 4, 150 Hendrik Verwoerd Drive, Randburg.

All material being submitted for consideration must reach RiSA by no later than 30 November 2007 for entries to be eligible for the Awards, which are scheduled to take place in early May 2008.

Where eligibility requirements are concerned, entry is open to any qualifying recording artist, director, producer or engineer — the qualifying factor being someone who has been a legal resident in South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, or Botswana for a minimum of six (6) months on the date of entry or is a South African citizen.

For duos or groups, the rules stipulate that not less than 50 percent of the duo or group needs to fall into this citizenship requirement stated above. In addition, unless stated otherwise, collaborations/productions between qualifying artists and international artists are allowed, provided the South African qualifying artists’ participation is given star, or equal, billing.

Rules guiding entry submissions are also available for downloading from the MTN SAMA website.

This year there are 62 categories, with enhancements to existing categories and brand new categories coming from an ongoing desire to reflect the diversity, the dynamism, and the talent that exists in the South African music industry!

Of the 62 categories, ten are not open for entry from 29 October to 30 November.

These are the Record of the Year, a pubic vote category that employs radio airplay as the mechanism for determining the nominees; Best Selling Album and the newly inaugurated Best Selling DVD and Best Selling Music Download of the Year which open for entry after the close of entries in all other categories owing to their extended qualifying dates, but use a different set of criteria that involve an audit as explained in the rules covering the categories; and Lifetime Achievement Award which is bestowed on recipients nominated by the RiSA Executive Committee.

The advent of DVD and music downloads will be celebrated by introducing a vastly increased platform of recognition for DVD — the number of categories has increased at the 14th Annual MTN SA Music Awards to six from previously only having had one category at the 13th Annual MTN SA Music Awards events; and the first time introduction of the awards for music download performance in Best Selling Music Download, a category that has three separate sub-categories namely: Best Selling Ring-Tune, Best Selling Full-Track and Best Selling Video.

The remaining five categories form part of the SAMA ‘Top Five’ categories that came into being at this year’s event — Best Female Album, Best Male Album, Best Album by a Duo or Group, Best Newcomer Album and Album of the Year.

For the Top Five, record companies cannot directly enter product into the Best Female Album, Best Male Album, Best Album by a Duo or Group and Best Newcomer Album categories. These four categories, with the important addition of Album of the Year, now form the SA Music Awards Top Five group. To be eligible for entry into the Big Five categories, the album would have to be nominated within its genre category.

The process enters its second year at the 14th Annual MTN SA Music. The Big Five judging system draws on the knowledge and expertise of the entire judging panel, and employs a rigorous series of judging procedures to ensure that the ultimate results for the Big Five categories represent the music industry’s finest.

[Via IAfrica ]

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Few years after the Prince of Niger Delta, Asu Ekiye made the nation proud by emerging winner of the prestigious music-video award organised by Channel “O”, De Indispensables have done a similar thing by also emerging first among the top artists that featured in this year’s “Spirit of Africa Award” organised by the same popular Television Channel (Channel O) in South Africa.

The event which was held on Tuesday October 11, 2007, in Sun City futured some big song makers in West Africa and some talented big wigs from Nigeria like D’Banj, Jimmy Jack among others who set the Sun City on ablaze last Tuesday.

De Indispensables, winners of this years’ Best Africa Act, Channel ‘O’ the products of De Grafton Entertainment Studio here in Port Harcourt. The group was represented by two of its very best singers in the person of LENNY B and TICKLIPs whom actually proved their worth in the South African music show.

Speaking with The Tide in Port Harcourt Airforce Base on Wednesday October 17, 2007 on their arrival from the Sun City, said their victory is like a dream come true.

Initially they explained that a kind of phobia gripped them, and never thought of coming home with the trophy due to the magnititude of the competition, but the level of supports by their fans, especially from the Niger Delta regions, who kept on sending that messages as the event required, they were able to emerge as first among equals.

They also called on the government to come fully into the Entertainment World and give it a facelift, so that those we have come to stay in the industry can have access to some cities and villages where there are good numbers of untapped artists who cold actually add vigour to the Entertainment World upon discovery.

The song makers have appealed to the government to stop eliminating young minds, but should endeavour to create some avenues which could act as a prelude in bringing out the best in them.

According to them, if this is done, many youths in the country especially the Niger Deltans would no longer indulge in criminality, because no one can accept a stone, when bread is offered.

De Indispensables, therefore, called on the youths not to see violence as the best options, but should think on creativity, so that when a particular talent is developed, apart from the government or companies, some well-meaning individuals can come to their aid, they advised.

However, Mr Tony Odibenua, alias Biz T. Manager and chief executive officer of the unbeatable De Grafton studio, said the boys’ victory did not come as a surprise but a well-deserved honour judging from the level of their preparation before leaving for the music concert last Tuesday in South Africa.

Meanwhile, he had challenged the victorious singers to prepare harder for what he described as fights ahead until they become best in an international environment, as no “dolling” is allowed in De Grafton Entertainment Studio.

[Via The Tide News]

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On Tuesday 16 October 2007 MokumTV of Amsterdam announced that the brand new Atongo Zimba CD ‘Barefoot in the Sand’ has been nominated for the title African CD of the year.

Other nominees this year are Orchestra Baobab with their album “Made in Dakar”, the Malinese album “Afriki” by Habib Koité & Bamada and the Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni Ba album “Segu Blue”.

The Music of the World Award (MWA) is an international awards show that annually honours recording artists that recorded outstanding albums in the field of World Music.

The awards show is conducted under the patronage of MokumTV of Amsterdam. MokumTV is the executive producer and co-founder (in 1982) of the Music of the World Award Show. The show is broadcast on the Amsterdam A1 Channel and reaching a worldwide audience through internet and by independent broadcasters in Africa, the Middle East , Asia, Australia , New Zealand, North and South America and Europe . This year the voting procedure is coordinated by Kirk Pinar and Annemieke Telkamp.

The World’s best World Music artists in the various categories are determined by internet-voting of the audience and a jury.

The new Atongo Zimba CD will be international released during the Womex annual international trade fair for World Music in Sevilla, Spain on the 24th of October 2007 where the Ghanaian singer’s record company has a stand ( 1-H.28).

[Via Public Agenda]

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This flamboyant young South African operatic sensation, Zanne Stapelberg (30) is the Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for music for 2008.Currently singing as the First Lady in The Magic Flute, Zanne has continued to woo audiences with her voice dubbed as ‘one of singular beauty’. This dynamic operatic star, who obtained her Higher Licentiate in Musical Performance Cum Laude at the University of Stellenbosch, received the coveted ‘Best Young Opera Singer’ Award from the Cape Town Friends of the Opera in 2001. This added to her meteoric rise as one of the most sought after artists on the South Africa opera circuit.

Zanne began her opera training at the Conservatoire of the University of Stellenbosch under Magdalena Oosthuizen and graduated in 1998 with a Degree in Music and English Literature. In addition she was awarded a bursary for Academic Achievement as well as numerous prestigious Singing Bursaries.

This popular, performer has graced the stage in the roles of Angelica in Suor Angelica, Nella in Gianni Schicci, Mimi in La Bohème, Ilia in Mozart’s Idomeneo and Pamina in Mozarts’s Die Zauberflöte, a role she subsequently reprised for the prestigious Spier Opera Festival.

Some of her other performances include Handels Messiah, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Haydn’s Die Schöpfung, Mozarts’s Dixit Dominus, Brahm’s Ein Deutsches Requiem, Dvorak’s Requiem, Carla in William Kentridge’s European tour of his performance art piece, Confessions of Zeno, composed by Kevin Volans as well as the starring role in the highly successful Aqua Opera at the V&A Waterfront in 2003 and 2004.

Zanne is an accomplished recitalist and she frequently performs with well-known pianist Francois du Toit. She has performed in Byzantium and Die Stil Avontuur which are works of famous composer Hendrik Hofmeyr. Their most recent collaboration was a CD entitled Lieder featuring Zanne and baritone Andre Howard. Her great passion is to perform new works by contemporary South African composers.

Her love of literature and poetry has seen Zanne produce Canciones en Espanolas (Songs in Spanish) with James Grace in concert for the ABSA KKNK. For this work she commissioned works by South African composers Braam du Toit and Matthijs van Dijk. She also sang at the Spier Poetry Festival, performing the poetry of Marlene van Niekerk which was set to music by Braam du Toit.

It is however Zanne’s operatic performances which have been met with critical acclaim and established her as one of South Africa’s most exhilarating voices. Her portrayal of Marguerite in Cape Town Opera’s production of Gounod’s Faust, the title role in Handel’s Alcina for Durban Playhouse Theatre’s Bravo! A Night at the Opera, her role as Rosalinda in the opera Die Fledermaus, her appearance in Queen at the Ballet and in Stravinsky’s opera-ballet Pulcinella, are just some of the highlights of Zanne’s career.

Cape Town can be proud of this opera star who matriculated at the Durbanville High School. “Whilst growing up music was always part of my life and I have fond memories of my father singing and playing the piano at home,” says Zanne. “After my maternal grandmother’s death, I discovered that she had wanted to be an opera singer all her life but this had never materialized,” says Zanne sadly. “So I have a deeply-rooted musical background and am grateful that I have managed to fulfill my grandmother’s dream of becoming a professional opera singer.”

“I’ve always wanted to spend my life on stage. I love performing and most of all, singing. To be given an award for this is an immense honour. I would like to thank Mandie van der Spuy and Standard Bank for recognizing me and believing that I am deserving of this wonderful accolade,” said Zanne.

About the awards:

The Young Artist Awards were started in 1981 by the National Arts Festival to recognise emerging, relatively young South African artists who have demonstrated exceptional ability in their chosen field. These prestigious awards are presented annually to deserving artists in four or five arts disciplines, affording them national exposure and acclaim. Winning artists, as part of their award, are given the opportunity to perform, direct or exhibit on the National Arts Festival’s main programme. Standard Bank became the title sponsor of the awards in 1984 and has presented Young Artist Awards in all the major arts disciplines over their 24-year sponsorship, as well as posthumous and special recognition awards.

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Arch-Rivals Alick Macheso and Tongai Moyo last night scooped triple platinum awards for their album sales, throwing wide open the ongoing debate on who exactly is the “king of sungura”.

The albums considered for the awards are Dhewa’s Naye and Macheso’s Vapupuri Pupurai. Fifteen other musicians walked away with gold and platinum awards for albums released in 2005 and 2006 at the event which was revived this year by Gramma Records, Zimbabwe Music Corporation and Ngaavongwe Records.

Ten artistes struck gold, five got platinum, two were awarded triple platinum, bringing to 17 the total number of awards at the glittering ceremony held at the Rainbow 7 Arts Theatre last night. Sales of more than 15 000 copies attract gold, while platinum is reserved for sales exceeding 60 000 copies. Triple platinum winners are those who sell more than 180 000 copies, and this is where Macheso and Moyo proved they were in a class of their own. Mercy Mutsvene’s Handingabvumi won platinum, making her the new gospel queen after eclipsing Amai Olivia Charamba, Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave and Shingisai Suluma whose albums The Gospel, Tawananyasha and Tatenda Taona achieved gold.

Mutsvene becomes the first female singer in the history of the awards to achieve platinum status. Macheso’s “copycats” — Somandla Ndebele and Njerama Boys – each scooped platinum and gold for their albums. Ndebele’s album Makobvu Nematete, probably his best to date, and Njerama Boys’ Masimba Towedzera achieved platinum status with Chidamoyo (Ndebele) and Zvave Muropa (Njerama Boys) landing gold.

Nicholas Zakaria received gold for Mbuva Yeupenyu and platinum for Chiedza while Leonard Zhakata (Tinevimbo), the late Leonard Dembo (The Best of), Allan Chimbetu (Sonny) and ZCC Mbungo Hotline (Ndashaiwa Paumire) attained gold status.

If the awards are based on actual sales, then it puts to bed the raging debate as to who rules as record sales are probably the best barometer for greatness. But the problem is that the actual sales figures were not given, thus leaving fans guessing. This writer believes the public have a right to know the actual number of albums sold by each artiste. As it is, the awards imply that the contest was a draw.

In other words, there was no outright winner. But let me pose this question: Is it too much to ask the record companies to give us the figures down to the last digit?

I’m sure this would also be extremely helpful when the artistes vie for honours in the Nama and Zima awards. The same applies to the weekly charts released by the two recording giants. Are they conclusive or are they subject to the whims of the record companies?

Take Zhakata’s Tinevimbo, for example. It featured briefly on the charts, yet Gift Amuli’s Munombozvigona Sei? is still riding high right up to this day. But Amuli was conspicuous by his absence from the list of award winners. The mind boggles!

[Via The Herald]

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Best Video: Kanye West – Stronger

Best Collabo: UGK ft Outkast – International Players Anthem

Best Live Performance: Kanye West

Best Movie: Stomp The Yard

Best Dance: Soulja Boy

Best UK: Kano

Lyricist Of The Year: Common

Video Director Of The Year: Hype Williams

MVP: Lil Wayne

Track Of The Year: Party Like A Rockstar – Shop Boyz

Album Of The Year: Common – Finding Forever & TI – TI vs TIP (Joint Winners)

Rookie Of The Year: Rich Boy

Peoples Choice: Birdman & Lil Wayne – Stuntin’ Like My Daddy

Best Ringtone: TI – Big Things Poppin’

Producer Of The Year: Timbaland

DJ Of The Year: DJ Khaled

Hustler Of The Year: 50 Cent

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With the year-end and the festive season just around the corner, albums are being released in large numbers. The race for The Botswana Music Awards (BOMU) is also inspiring more artists to release albums.

Amongst the artists who launched was DJ Selector who launched his second album called The Project Session 2 at Ozone on the last Friday, October 04, 2007. DJ Selector told The Voice that his first album did not make it as he had encountered complications with the record stable he had been signed to before. “Although I was signed up by Storms Records in South Africa, we experienced some complications before the project could take off. Had this not been the case, my first project would have been a hit.”

DJ Selector, however, assured his fans that his second album would not be disappoint. The second album has 8 tracks and the one that DJ Selector hopes will capture the hearts of many is Track 1, titled Feel Free. “I believe that my album will make it without a doubt. My songs kept people on the dance floor all night long at the recent launch of my album,” he said. DJ Selector will be touring the country from 21st October until some time in December. This promotional tour will be in collaboration with DJ Collastraw and it will be called DJ Selector Versus DJ Collastraw tour.

The two DJ’s will be performing in South Africa over the October 13, 2007 weekend as part of the promotion.

Meanwhile, registration for the BOMU awards started this Monday (8th of October) and the deadline is on the 31st of October. More categories have been added to the awards, totaling 33.

Some of the categories for the 2007 2nd BOMU awards are Best Video, Best Disco, Best Kwaito, Best Kwaito Kwasa, Best Kwasa Kwasa, Best Traditional and album of the year.

[Via The Voice ]

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Channel O cemented its standing as Africa’s premier music channel at a glittering awards ceremony that crowned many new stars. The Channel O Spirit of Africa Music Video Awards, brought to you by Amarula Cream, took place at the Johannesburg City Hall on Thursday 11 October 2007 ‘ and the who’s who of the continent’s entertainment scene turned out in full force to support this highlight of the music industry calendar.

Hosted by Nigerian singer and songwriter, D’Banj and South African dance artist DJ S’bu and featuring a slew of storming live performances, the Channel O Spirit of Africa Music Video Awards were dominated by winners from Namibia, Nigeria, Mozambique and Kenya.

“From the start, Channel O has aimed to be the music channel of choice for fans across the continent and the results of this year’s event well and truly proved that that is what we now are. We are overwhelmed by the number of fans who took the time to vote by sms or on the website and I think that their devotion to African artists of real quality has really shown itself in the results of this year’s awards,” said Channel O General Manager, Yolisa Phahle. (Also performed with the London-based Reggae Strings was a highlight of the show)

The diversity of winners on the night proved Channel O’s claim of being the only truly “Original African” channel on the continent. The event was recorded “live” and will be broadcast on Channel O on 27 October at 20:00 CAT. (* Channel O is now broadcast on channel 320 on DSTV.)

And the winners are…

Best Male Video: Nameless – Sinzia (Kenya)

Best Female Video: Dama Do Bling – Danca Do Remexe (Mozambique)

Best Newcomer: The Dogg – Baby Don’t Go (Namibia)

Best Duo Or Group: P Square – Bizzy Boy (Nigeria)

Best Dance Video: Acid – Banyane E Basimane (Botswana)

Best Ragga Dancehall Video : Peter Miles (Uganda)

Best R&B Video:Lizha James (Mozambique)

Best Kwait: Gazza – Mokasie (Namibia)

Best African Southern: Dama Do Bling – Danca Do Remexe (Mozambique)

Best African West: De Indispensensables – I Love U (Nigeria)

Best African East: Juma Nature – Mugambo (Tanzania)

Best Hip-Hop Video:Scar – Metlholo (Botswana)

Best Special Effects: D’Banj – Why Me (Nigeria)

Best Director: E.A.B.C – Kube (Kenya)

Video Of The Year: E.A.B.C – Kube (Kenya)

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