For millions of South Africans it’s an annual ritual. Music fans settle onto their couches and turn on their televisions to witness one of the country’s most anticipated award shows.

The South African Music Awards (SAMA’s) are the brainchild of the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA). The SAMA’s, aimed at celebrating the local music industry, usually take place over a weekend within the first four to five months of the year, with a smaller ceremony scheduled the day before a glamorous televised event.

The awards have been around for 18 years and like anyone in their late teens, they have experienced a number of highs and lows.

Last year the awards were moved from their ‘official’ home in Sun City to Johannesburg’s Montecasino - a move the organisers had hoped would make the awards more inclusive of music fans, as opposed to being an industry and media getaway.

Over the years the occasion has been marred by problems with accreditation, booking and the quality of the overall production. They have also had to endure continuous mixed responses from the public. 

SAMA 18

As expected the SAMA’s seem to have everyone in a frenzy - from those who’ve put sweat into making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes, to the numerous artists hoping to outperform their contemporaries at the event.

Earlier this year, organisers decided to hand out 32 awards – but were encouraged to revert back to the original 60 after the move was questioned by industry insiders.

The beauty of the 2012 SAMA’s seems to lie in the domination of lyrical music, live acts, the resurgence of melodies and inspirational messages.

Some of the nominees haven’t had an album on the charts in over a year, yet they have managed to create a massive impact in the industry, forcing their peers to listen and rush into their respective studios in the hope of upping their game. 

Zahara

Having recently found herself in the middle of a media storm, this lady epitomises the rise from humble beginnings to the top of the crop in the music industry. 

The daughter of a domestic worker and factory employee, Zahara says her dreams were never this big, Every one of her performances sell out, her albums fly off music store shelves and she seems to have accumulated an endless stream of fans.

Zahara was discovered by TS Records executive TK Nciza in the Eastern Cape in 2010, who whisked her into the glamorous life that is the Joburg music industry. Immediately they started working on an album.

Zahara doesn’t appear fazed by the tabloid articles and never-ending tweets that were spurred on by the Sunday newspapers.

There’s a glimmer in her eyes, she’s open and chats freely with the record label staff.

A bit of nervous tension sets in when she starts telling us her story.

She dives straight into the allegations that her label has been using her as cash cow, that she has not seen a cent of her hard-earned money and that she can’t afford a house or a car. 

The rising star says she saw the article earlier in the day and decided to ignore her phone, in the hope that the controversy would blow over.

When she finally switched on her phone, Zahara says she almost fainted after reading tweets sent to her and her mentors, “I felt like people were turning against me”. 

Zahara leads the pack at this year’s SAMA’s with seven nominations.

She’s incredibly excited about the awards, explaining that to her the nominations means SA recognises the effort that went into putting the music together.

She also loves the idea that the SAMA’s drive artists such as herself to work harder to put out excellent products. 

“Sometimes I lie in bed and ask myself, is this really me? Is this my life?” 

Referring to her megahit Lengoma, Zahara says, “There was a message, a song inside me I wanted to share with people, I held onto hope, that one day my music will be heard and inspire”.

Micasa

If you get within earshot of a venue where this band is performing, you will most likely hear screaming girls.

After being together for only nine months, Dr Duda, Mo-T and J’Something, have caused a stir not only with women but with radio stations, music aficionados and the likes. 

They are sitting with 5 SAMA nominations and will be hitting the stage at the gala event on the 30th of April.

It’s a little difficult to explain the fusion behind what they call ‘Micasa sound’, which is made up of the three band members differing schools of music.

Dr Duda is a house Dj, Mo-T is a jazz trumpeter and vocalist J’Something doubles up as a guitarist, while adding authentic Portuguese flavour to their harmonies.

J’Something says their story started at a club in Sandton, when Duda was mixing and Mo-T was invited to go on stage by his young brother who worked for their now record label Soul Candi Records.

J’Something also went up on stage and the rest, as they say, is history.

Three months after jamming together in that club, the group had a recording deal and an album that has crossed over into different race groups, ages and music preferences. 

“We bringing something completely different to the South African Music industry,” J’Something explains, adding that although they have been around for 9 months, he believes they are continuously growing as a group. 

The subject of the Awards keeps coming and J’Something seems set on wanting to take home the statuette in all the categories they were nominated for.

“It’ll be great to win the best Dance category, because that’s what we do - we make dance music, ‘cause that’s who we are.”

Kabomo

Kabomo Vilakazi is a man known for his work as a writer and a journalist.

He released an album called All Things Grey and with that came SAMA nominations.

Kabomo is up for two awards and says before he even ventured into writing he knew he would end up in music – just not how he would end up there. 

The living legends 

Every year two acts are awarded what is called the lifetime Achiever Award, for their music contribution to the country.

This year, musicians Vusi Mahlasela and Ray Phiri will take to the stage to receive the honour.

Both artists have not only contributed through their music but their influences transcend generations and cultural standards.

Ray Phiri

Speaking to Eyewitness in front of the pool, where as a youngster he learnt to swim, Ray Phiri says, “My forty two years in music started here”.

He first penned the multi award winning song Highland Drifter, while looking at the mountains around him - although at the time he was just putting words together, thinking he was composing a poem.

It was recorded as a song during the 70’s and was immediately banned in South Africa upon its release, yet it remained in the number one spot on a Zimbabwean station. 

Phiri’s relationship with music evolved when he inherited his father’s guitar, after Phiri snr had an accident on the farm and lost three fingers.

When music groups from Joburg were hosting trade shows for the farming communities, he says he saw a group called the 5 Boys on stage and something propelled him to get on that stage and dance with them.

That evening he left for the big city with the band, “R35 convinced me that I could make a living out of music”.

Stimela, which is now pretty much an institution, was founded 32 years ago by Phiri, after his first official group The Cannibals disbanded.

The band became known for their mix of afro beats, jazz and funk.

At their prime they set many trends and broke a multitude of records in and around the country - they were the first group in South Africa to record a live album, they were one of the first acts to perform in soviet Russia during the 80’s and they were advocates against South Africa’s apartheid government. 

Why he named his group Stimela, you wonder? 

He says, “Back then, the train was a brute monster that operated on raw energy. It took you from pain to pleasure, from your loved ones to sorrow or from confusion to light. With the train you didn’t need your imagination, just get on board and you’d find your destination.”

The iconic musician says he’s ambivalent about the award, because it almost feels like he’s being told he’s reached the ceiling and that he no longer needs to make music.

He says he will only retire once dream of The Ray Phiri Institute has been realised and is producing talented musos.

For a full list of the winners, click here.