eSwatini: MTN SWAMA Awards announces winners

Hip hop artist King Terry emerged tops in the Best Hip Hop Artist and Song of the Year categories. Symphony and Linda Ndlamini took home the Female Artist of the Year and Male Artist of the Year awards respectively. Nduduzo Matse received the Best Gospel Artist gong while Amanda Mo walked away with Best Afro Pop Artist Award. Seventy-year-old Smiles Makama was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the country's music industry.

Other winners included music duo Dusty and Stones, DJ Touch of Soul, Zairman, Zamo and Mandisa. 

"As the Ministry of Sports, Arts, Culture and Youth Affairs, we are honoured by your [Deputy Prime Minister Themba Masuku] presence at these awards, which celebrate the very best in the music industry in our country," Sports, arts, Culture and Youth Affairs Minister Harries Bulunga said in a speech.

"We are also excited and proud to share with you that the music industry in eSwatini has grown from strength to strength over the past years, as evidenced by these awards, which have attracted the interest of regional and international media.

"We would like to assure you, your excellency, that we will work hard as a ministry to ensure that the music and arts industry continues to achieve consistent growth."

Below is the full list of winners:

Best Gospel Artist

• Nduduzo Matse
• Banele Dlamini
• Linda Dlamini
• Skeel
• Linda

Best Collaboration

• Tendaness ft Bholoja and Lo – ‘Jika’
• DJ 1D ft Diba Diba, Qibo Intalektual and Jerie – ‘Lendlela’
• DJ Master P ft Mandisa, Mozaik and King Terry – ‘Misbehave’
• Haem-O ft Emtee – ‘I wanna Be Rich’ (remix)
• Shepard Borthers ft Velemseni – ‘Gendeza’
• Simiso M ft Nono – ‘All of You’
• Virus ft Sands – ‘Overseas’

Best Country Music 

• Dusty and Stones
• Cleopatra/Mrs Roses
• Isaac Gamedze
• Lerato

Best Swati Artist Based in the Diaspora

• DJ Touch of Soul
• Big Dreams
• Jazz P
• Zamo
• Sheejay Zoe

DJ of the Year

• DJ Zulu D
• DJ 1D
• DJ CYBOS
• Mavava
• The Scientists

Best House Artist

• Slotta
• DJ Njebza
• Sifiso M
• Speech Umlangeni
• S-Tone
• DJ Czar

Best Hip Hop Artist

• King Terry
• Mozaik
• Lyrikal Busta
• Kena
• Mr Kangaroo
• Diba Diba
• MP

Best Kwaito Artist

• Immortal 7
• Candies Evolution
• Magaya
• Metal Chains
• Thiba

Best Reggae / Ragga / Dancehall

• Zairman
• Jack Rhallie
• M. Triggerson
• Plateau Roots
• Umbutfo Nhlavu

Best Traditional / Best Mbaqanga / Best Maskandi

• Majailabhunu
• Bocwephesha
• Sithobela Band
• Sontonzima
• Amathole
• Umajika

Best Jazz Artist

• Quad Element
• John Philip
• Soul friends
• Step by Step

Best Afro-pop Artist

• Amanda Mo
• Mvilas
• Nomsa M
• Zamo
• Judah

Best Poet/Best Wordsmith

• Majaha Nkonyane
• Beko The Storyteller
• Qibho Intalektual
• Skeel
• Zinyane Lebenguni
• Thabani Maseko

Best Comedian

• Mudra
• Dr Shakes
• Mandy

Best Swati Soul Artist

• Zamo
• Symphony
• Velemseni
• Amanda Mo
• Mr Music

Best R&B Artist

• Mandisa
• Adrienne Foo
• Miss Trophy
• Sasha
• Zoe Genesis

Artist of the Year

• Illa Penboy
• Linda Dlamini
• Symphony
• Immortal 7
• Dusty and Stones
• Nduduzo Matse

Female Artist of the Year

• Symphony
• Adrienne Foo
• Banele Dlamini

Male Artist of the Year

• Linda Dlamini – ‘From Lo Debar to Palace’
• Diba Diba – ‘Diba WaNgwane’
• Kena – ‘Litsemba Lemaginsa’
• Mozaik – Nearly Far
• Mr. Kangaroo – ‘Broke Superstar
• King Terry – ‘Before the Reign’

Newcomer of the Year

• Umfana Wabhejisa
• NR
• Size Killa
• Smokey & Wigo
• Sthe Manyatsi

Best Producer

• Mozaik The Producer
• LO
• SubJamz
• M. Seth
• AOS

Song of the Year

• ‘Colors’ – King Terry
• ‘Dance for Mi’ – Lyrikal Busta
• ‘Gendza’ – ‘Shepard Brothers ft Velemseni
• ‘Jika’ – Tendaness ft Bholoja & LO
• ‘Lendlela’ – DJ 1D ft Diba Diba, Qibho Intalektua
• ‘Misbehave’ – DJ Master P ft Mandisa, Mozaik & King Terry
• ‘Monarchical Democracy’ – Mshikishi
• ‘Right on Time’ – Mozaik
• ‘Tinyembeti’ – Zamo
• ‘Uwami’ – Amanda Mo
• ‘Yaya’ – 80 Script ft Una Rams
• ‘Lona Ngumnyaka Wetfu’ – Linda Dlamini

Video of the Year

• ‘Dance for Mi’ – Lyrikal Busta
• ‘I Wanna Be Rich’ (remix) – Haem-O ft Emtee
• ‘Jika’ – Tendaness ft Bholoja & LO
• ‘Uwami’ – Amanda Mo
• ‘Woza Woza’ – Sands
• ‘The Blow Up’ – ‘Big Dreams ft Kwesta

President Special Recognition Award

• Veteran radio journalist Wilson B Nkosi

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Smiles Makama