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Zakes receives his award with a heavy heart, Lady Du calls the event a ‘big joke’. So, what is the actual story? No1 smartphone brand in Africa, TECNO Mobile, weighs in on the conversation - the highs, the lows and opportunities for the future.
After a two-year Covid-imposed hiatus, the South African Music Awards hosted the 28th installation of the prestigious event. Hosted by a stellar and entertaining duo, Nandi Madida and Lawrence Maleke, the event has been marred with negative commentary from the both artists and consumers alike who seem less pleased with the results announced at the awards event in Sun City on 28 August, 2022.
While the event saw some of Mzansi’s biggest stars dress to the nines and grace the SAMA28 stage including the likes of Boity, DJ Tira and Makhadzi. Many other major titles skipped the event including Amapiano headliners, DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small, despite their multiple nominations as well as Hip Pop kings, AKA and Cassper Nyovest.
The reasons for poor attendance range from the historical experience of disorganisation on the part of the event, a dubious judging and selection process and seemingly below par event-planning standards. The drive to Sun City, could not have made things more inconvenient.
If one is to judge purely on the post-SAMA28-outcry of musicians and music fans alike, then history may have very well repeated itself on 27 and 28 August.
(Image: Supplied)
Zakes Bantwini received his two awards with a ‘heavy heart’ and speaking out on his social media accounts he said, “regrettably, the SAMAs have broken our trust, they have devalued the honour and prestige, which the awards once stood for.”
The Osama hitmaker also spoke to the lack of integrity in the production and planning of the show, citing that 2022, marked the lowest point of the awards.
Amapiano vocalist Dudu “Lady Du" Ngwenya feels her work is acknowledged more by other countries rather than her own, calling the event “a big joke.”
In an interview on Metro FM, Risa Communications Manager and SAMAs spokesperson Lesley Mofokeng told TBO Touch, ‘the onus is on the artist to campaign for the public vote categories where they are nominated’.
Speaking on the Record of the Year Category, Mofokeng said, “[It] is short listed based on Radio Monitor which tracks songs based on how often songs are played on the radio. Radio Monitor then presents 20 songs that are most played”.
Mofokeng also responded to the corruption allegations, “The SAMAs have auditors in place. Judges of the SAMAs put their votes online. There are NDAs involved. It's hard to see how the awards can be bought. If someone has received money for a vote, they need to step forward, so we can deal with the matter.”
One of the event sponsors, TECNO Mobile, an avid supporter of artistic expression, believes that while the event might have fallen short of many of the industry’s expectations, it still remains an essential platform.
“The SAMAs are a legacy brand and the highest accolade for musical achievement in South Africa, whose continued success we could all benefit from. What does this success look like? All big musicians (big titles and start-ups) supporting and attending the event and more importantly, the deserving winners receiving the recognition they deserve,” says TECNO PR Manager in SA, Zikona Captain.
What the ‘bad-press’ around the SAMA28 has managed to successfully achieve, is force us to engage in a robust and constructive conversation about the future design and coordination of the event with the understanding that we all have a common goal, and seemingly a shared enemy too, namely the alleged corruption and award results that do not reflect true industry performance – perhaps then our collective focus as consumers, musicians and event partners should be to play our part in dealing with the challenges as opposed to pointing fingers.
(Image: Supplied)
This of course is only TECNO’s take, we invite you to join the conversation on twitter and share your thoughts on the matter.
For more information contact: Zikona Captain via zikona.captain@gmail.com or mobile: 0717506866
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This post was sponsored and supplied by Tecno.
