Buckle up, music lovers! South African music just got its Oscars moment. The Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) dropped the full list of nominees for SAMA31, and it’s a star studded affair from Sjava to Black Motion, with genre kings and innovators ready to battle for glory.
Sjava is walking tall with two nominations for Best Afro Pop Album both Isibuko (Deluxe) and Inkanyezi (Live), plus a nod for Best Engineered Album for Isibuko (Deluxe). That’s a declaration of musical domination.
Amapiano maestro Kelvin Momo isn’t far behind. He scored two nods for Best Amapiano Album (Sewe and Ntsako) and is also in the mix for Best Collaboration with Waze Wamuhle.
Meanwhile, legend Thandiswa Mazwai continues to school everyone, with nominations for Best African Adult Contemporary Album (Sankofa), Best Engineered Album, and Best Produced Album. Because if you’re going to leave a legacy on the table, might as well dominate it all.
Other heavy hitters? Black Motion snagged nods in Best Dance Album, Best Collaboration, Best Engineered Album, and Best Produced Album for The Cradle Of Art. Zamajobe, Nomfundo Moh, Blxckie, Nduduzo Makhathini, Khuzani, Phuzekhemisi, and others are also flexing big in their fields, from jazz to maskandi to hip hop.
And yes! Even the Rest of Africa category shows how global the SAMAs go. Ayra Starr, Tems, Wizkid, Fireboy DML, and Bensoul are bringing continental heat.
All of this swag will be aired live in November 2025, with no red carpet but maximum cultural rays, courtesy of the Motsepe Foundation, SABC1, YouTube, and more.
Source: Music In Africa
