Blaq Diamond shines bright - All the 2021 Sama winners

Blaq Diamond made history on Saturday night as the first outfit to ever be crowned Artist of the Year at the SA Music Awards. 

The Durban duo emerged head and shoulders above others when they attracted the biggest number of votes in a category voted for by the public in a star-studded show broadcast on SABC1.

Matthew Mole’s Keep It Together took the Record of the Year award while Miss Pru’s Price To Pay featuring Blaq Diamond and Malome Vector won the Music Video of the Year award. From king of Amapiano to king of SAMA27: Kabza De Small reigned supreme. He walked away with four gongs, the biggest number by a single artist this year followed by DJ Maphorisa with three.

Kabza De Small’s collaboration with DJ Maphorisa as Scorpion Kings earned them Album of the Year, Duo or Group of the Year and Best Amapiano Album for Once Upon A Time In Lockdown. His solo effort I Am The King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust brought him Male Artist of the Year gong. 

The internationally acclaimed Master KG took home the SAMRO Composer Highest Airplay award that he shares with Nomcebo Zikode. Furthermore, he won the International Achiever Award for his monster hit Jerusalema featuring Nomcebo.

Gospel star Bucy Radebe bagged two trophies, the White Star Newcomer of the Year and Best Traditional Faith Album for Spiritual Encounter. Sho Madjozi proved her versatility when she scooped the Best Traditional Album and Sofnfree Female Artist of the Year.

The Best Hip-Hop Album award was snatched by Nasty C while Zinaro reigned supreme in the Best Gqom Album. The SAMA27 virtual show was recorded in a Johannesburg studio under strict Covid-19 level 4 lockdown protocols. Over 40 awards were handed out at the event. 

Complete list of winners 

Artist of the Year

Blaq Diamond 

Record of the Year

Keep it Together - Matthew Mole 

Music Video of the Year

Price to Pay - Miss Pru featuring Blaq Diamond and Malome Vector 

Album of the Year

Once Upon A Time In Lockdown – Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa (Scorpion Kings) 

Duo or Group of the Year

Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa (Scorpion Kings) – Once Upon A Time In Lockdown 

Sofnfree Female Artist of the Year

Sho Madjozi – What A Life 

Male Artist of the Year

Kabza De Small – I Am The King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust 

White Star Newcomer of the Year

Bucy Radebe – Spiritual Encounter 

Best Rock Album

Orange Sunshine – Yum Yuck 

Best Pop Album

Tribes & Angels – Locnville 

Beste Pop Album

Twintig20 – Brendan Peyper 

Best Adult Contemporary Album

Rise – Ndlovu Youth Choir 

Beste Kontemporêre Musiek Album

Herverbeel – Die Heuwels Fantasties 

Best African Adult Contemporary Album

Amakhaya – Max Hoba 

Best Alternative Album

iimini – Bongeziwe Mabandla 

Best R&B/Soul Album

Uhambo – Soul Kulture 

Best Hip-Hop Album

Zulu Man With Some Power – Nasty C 

Best Kwaito Album

Ama Roto EP – Reece Madlisa and Zuma 

Best Dance Album

The Healers: The Last Chapter – Black Motion 

Best Traditional Faith Album

Spiritual Encounter – Bucy Radebe 

Best Contemporary Faith Album

Your Kingdom on Earth – Hle 

Best African Indigenous Faith Album

Izwi Lakho – Mandlethu Gospel Singers 

Rest of Africa

Songs in the Key of Love – Berita 

Best Traditional Album

What a Life – Sho Madjozi 

Best Maskandi Album

Imfene kaMakhelwane – Abafana Baka Mgqumeni 

Best Jazz Album

Modes of Communication: Letters from the Underworld – Nduduzo Makhathini 

Best Classical/Instrumental Album

We’ve Known All Times – Wouter Kellerman 

Best Afropop Album

Ngumama – Vusi Nova 

Best Live Audio Visual Recording

Journey to the World and Beyond – Sun-El Musician 

Best Collaboration

Mali Eningi – Big Zulu feat Riky Rick and Intaba yase Dubai 

Best Produced Music Video

Hosh by Prince Kaybee feat Sir Trill – Ofentse 

Best Produced Album of the Year

Umsebenzi by Sjava – Delaydem, Ruff, Webmoms, Zadok and Vuyo Manyike 

Best Engineered Album of the Year

Inganekwane by Zoe Modiga – Papi Diretsi and Songo Oyama 

Remix of the Year

Yehla Moya – Da Capo 

Best Reggae Album

Persistence – Bongo Riot 

Best Amapiano Album

Once Upon A Time in Lockdown – Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa (Scorpion Kings) 

Best Gqom Album

Inzalo Yekwaito - Zinaro 

Lifetime Achievement Award

Lebo M

Dr Lindelani Mkhize

PJ Powers 

International Achievement Award

Master KG 

Best Selling Artist

Mlindo the Vocalist - Emakhaya 

Most Streamed Song

You’re the One – Elaine 

SAMRO Composer Highest Airplay

Kgaugelo Moagi (Master KG) and Nomcebo Zikode – Jerusalema