eSwatini: MTN SWAMA Awards announces nominees

Leading the list with five nominations is hip hop artist Mozaik who was nominated in Song of the Year, Best Producer, Best Male Artist, Artist of the Year and Best Hip Hop Artist categories. Following with four nominations each are Zamo and Swazi Jive.

Zamo received nominations for Best Afro-pop Artist, Best Swati Soul Artist, Song of the Year and Best Artist in the Diaspora, while Swazi Jive was nominated in the Best R&B, Best Female Artist, Best Producer and Best Newcomer categories

Voting is under way and fans can vote for their favourite artists by sending an SMS with the category and artist to 6161 (e.g. Best Hip Hop, Tick Tock). Voting closes on 31 October.

Below is a full list of nominees:

Best Gospel Artist

• Banele Dlamini
• Linda Dlamini
• Skeel
• Linda

Best Collabo

• 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’
• Tendaness ft Bholoja and Lo – ‘Jika’
• Virus ft Sands – ‘Overseas’

Best Country Nominees

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

Best Swati Art Based in the Diaspora

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

DJ of the Year

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

Best House Artist

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

Best Hip Hop Artist

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

Best Kwaito Artist

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

Best Reggae / Ragga / Dancehall

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

Best Traditional / Best Mbaqanga / Best Maskandi

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

Best Jazz Artist

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

Best Afro-pop Artist

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

Best Poet/Best Wordsmith

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

Best Comedian

• Dr Shakes
• Mandy
• Mudra

Best Swati Soul Artist

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

Best R&B Artist

• Adrienne Foo
• Mandisa
• 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

• Adrienne Foo
• Banele Dlamini
• Symhony

Male Artist of the Year

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

Newcomer of the Year

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

Best Producer

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

Song of the Year

• ‘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
• ‘Colors’ – King Terry
• ‘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