Thandiswa Mazwai and Goldmax dominate 31st Samas with major wins
Thandiswa Mazwai was one of the biggest winners at the 31st South African Music Awards.
Image: Supplied
On Sunday night, the 31st annual South African Music Awards (Samas) took place at the Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg.
This year, the awards adopted a hybrid format, combining live and digital elements.
Faced with a challenging sponsorship climate and limited funding, the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) chose to move away from the traditional large-scale gala to a more streamlined, accessible and digitally driven event.
The awards carried the theme “Flowers For Those Who Keep Our Nation Singing”, shining a spotlight on musicians while they are still able to receive recognition for their contributions. The night was about giving artists their flowers, and two artists stood out, taking top honours: Thandiswa Mazwai and Goldmax.
Mazwai’s album “Sankofa” was among the most nominated projects of the evening and won several key awards. She received Best Produced Album, Best Engineered Album and Best African Adult Contemporary Album.
She also took home the Female Artist of the Year award. “Sankofa” received a total of five nominations, placing Mazwai among the top contenders alongside Black Motion and Kelvin Momo.
Following her wins, Mazwai shared her gratitude on social media: “The year of ‘Sankofa’! We won! Big love to my support system, my partner and my daughter. Thank you to the rest of my family for always being there for me.
"Thank you to my collaborators and co-producers @tendaii.__ @nduduzomakhathini @officialmeshell @ceebrew. Special mention to our boy @ph_rawx, who was part of the early sessions and the making of ‘emini’ and ‘xandibona wena’."
"Some of the other music from those sessions will be released early next year. Big love to all the musicians who played on this album - musicians in the States, in Dakar and in South Africa. To the radio stations and festivals that have consistently shown support, thank you.
"To @mariamccloy and @lookatophiona, thank you for the crazy amounts of support. We couldn’t have done it without you. My label @umgsa, we did it! Thank you. To my agents around the world… LETS GO.”
Goldmax, born Zipho Mthembu, also made a strong impact at the awards. His album “Play at Your Own Risk" won Album of the Year and Best Gqom Album. He also earned the Male Artist of the Year award.
“Play at Your Own Risk", a collaboration with Blacks Jnr, has been widely praised in the gqom music scene.
After his wins, Goldmax took to social media to tease new music and acknowledge his success: “Ngyezwa kthiwa ngenze ICALA angigade ama phoyisa. 3x Sama winner.” (loosely translated: “I hear that I committed a crime, I must look out for the police. 3 times Sama winner.”)
Unati Gwija, the awards spokesperson, reflected on the evening: “With the 31st edition dusted and artists adorned, the Samas have once again solidified their throne as South Africa’s music night to remember. The cream of the crop rose to the top, and we couldn’t be more thrilled."
"A huge shout-out to our talented artists who brought the house down with jaw-dropping performances and show-stopping wins. To our esteemed judges, thank you for your expertise and discerning taste. And to our incredible sponsors, your support is the rhythm that keeps the music playing. We salute you.”