SAPMA to celebrate South Africa’s best artists

South African music really opened up to the rest of Africa and the world in the year 2020, through the hit song Jerusalema by Master KG and Nomcebo Zikode. This motivated the launch of the South African Popular Music Awards (SAPMA), a new platform for rewarding South African artists.

South African artists will benefit from new awards, through the launch of the South African Popular Music Awards (SAPMA). Under the hashtag « Popular », the event aims to celebrate the most creative people in the music industry in the rainbow nation. « The SAPMAs are here to occupy the space as true renovators of the game. Things won’t be the same as they used to be, » said Mathawe Matsapola, SAPMA Communications Manager.

This is a platform created to celebrate artists without bias or favour. It is about the people and popular genres that speak to our market. Everyone is eligible and public participation is at the heart of the awards, from submitting entries to voting for all the winners with a jury, » she says.

Mathawe Matsapola also told the local media that artists have been complaining for decades that they are « forgotten and do not get the recognition they deserve, especially when it comes to the award ceremonies. « Audiences also feel the same way, because year after year, many of their favourite artists are not recognized for the music they produce and perform, » she added.

Entries for this year’s awards will be open from February 25 to April 26 for singles and albums released between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2020. No entry fee is required and the genres that will be celebrated include afro-soul, hip-hop, gqom, kwaito, maskandi, gospel, amapiano and mbaqanga.