26th South African Music Awards explained

26th South African
Date:	August 3–7, 2020
Location:	Virtual event, multiple venues
Country:	South Africa
Host:	Dineo Langa Donovan Goliath
Network:	Mzansi Magic
Most Nominations:	Prince Kaybee & Sha Sha (5 each)
Previous:	25th
Main:	SAMAs
Next:	27th

The 26th Annual South African Music Awards were held on 3–7 August 2020. Unlike previous years shows, the ceremony was broadcast as a five-night event, with the first four episodes being 30 minutes long, while the fifth one was a 45-minute grand finale.^[1] It was held virtually due to the effects of COVID-19 lockdowns, and for the first time, the award show was to be broadcast live on Multichoice's Mzansi Magic Channel (the award show was originally broadcast on SABC 1, but due to the channel's financial problems it was cancelled, then it was picked up by Multichoice).^[2] This was the first year the show was broadcast live via My Muze by Vodacom.

The award show was originally scheduled to take place on 2 June, in Sun City Arena, North West and was to air live. The nominees were announced on July 9, 2020.^[3]

Winners and nominees

Nominees are as listed below. Winners are in bold.^[4]

Record Of The Year (fan-voted)	Album of the Year	Female Artist of the Year	Male Artist of the Year
Blaq Diamond - Ibhanoyi Semi Tee - Labantwana Ama Uber feat. Miano & Dee Black Motion - Joy Joy feat. Brenden Praise TNS - My Dali feat. Indlovukazi Kay Gee DaKing & Bizizi - Kokota Feat. killer Kau Black Coffee - Lalala feat. Usher AKA - Jika feat. Yanga Tshego - No Ties feat. King Monada Tresor - Sondela feat. Msaki De Mthuda & Njelic - Shesha Holly Rey - You Tellaman - Whipped feat. Nasty C & Shekinah DJ Zinhle - Umlilo feat. Mvzzle & Rethabile Lady Zamar - This is love K.O - Supa Dupa Prince Kaybee - Gugulethu feat. Afro Brotherz, Indlovukazi & Supho Samthing Soweto - Akulaleki feat. Sha Sha, DJ Maphorisa & Kabza De Small Nasty C - SMA feat. Rowlene Prince Kaybee - Fetch your life feat. Msaki	Scorpion Kings - DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, MFR Souls & Virgo Deep Re Mmino – Prince Kaybee Isphithiphithi – Samthing Soweto Season, Volume II – We Will Worship Bongo Riot Di Dancehall Wakanda – Trust Stories Amanzi Nemifula: Umkhuleko – Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane	Ami Faku – Imali Riana Nel – Sterker Lady Zamar – Monarch Manu Grace – June Spha Mdlalose – Indlel’eyekhaya	Prince Kaybee – Re Mmino Benjamin Dube – Glory in His Presence Samthing Soweto – Isiphithiphithi Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane – Amanzi Nemifula: Umkhuleko Bongo Riot Di Dancehall Wakanda – True Stories
Newcomer of the Year	Duo/Group of the Year	Best Rock Album	Best Pop Album
Ndabo Zulu & Umgidi Ensemble – Queen Nandi : The African Sbu Noah – A David Kind of Psalm (Live) Ami Faku – Imali Spha Mdlalose – Indlel’eyekhaya Symphony Viwe Mkizwana -Tributes	Ndabo Zulu & Umgidi Ensemble – Queen Nandi: The African Symphony Malumz on Decks – Find Your Way Worship House – Project 17 (Live at Carnival City) We Will Worship – Seasons, Volume II Qadasi & Maqhinga – Ungabanaka	Dagdrome in Suburbia – Francois van Coke Until The Last Prayer – Gunshot Blue The Bright Blue Orchids – The Plastics Sins of the Father – Black Pistol Plastic Kids – The Tazers	Ghost – Matthew Mole DEEP BREATH – Deep Breath Here I Am – Christian Heath Lifeline – Josh Wantie Solitude – Mike Stent
Best Pop Album	Best Afro Pop Album	Best R&B/Soul Album	Best Adult Contemporary Album
Partytjiedier – Kurt Darren Elektrisiteit – Dewald Wasserfall Hou Vas – HANCO Patriot – Swaeltjies – Danny Smoke	Isiphithiphithi – Samthing Soweto From Bongo With Love – Bongo Maffin Imali – Ami Faku Selimathunzi – Mthunzi Umuthi – Blaq Diamond	My Heart to Your Soul – Lungisa Xhamela Elements – Elaine God Decides – Tellaman Pink Panther – Tshego Promised Land – Yanga Sobetwa	Africa – Ndlovu Youth Choir Swansong – Lance James Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue – The Parlotones Power – Amanda Black In a Different Light – Wouter Kellerman
Best Classical Album	Beste Kontemporere Musiek Album	Best Hip Hop Album	Best Reggae Album
Music of Spain III – James Grace Vignettes for Violin – Kristel Birkholtz Die Tale Van My Hart – Wilhelm Lichtenburg Freehand – Charl du Plessis Andaluza Africa Celebrates – University of Limpopo Choristers (and the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra)	Sterker – Riana Nel Coenie 2.2 – Coenie de Villiers Boomhuis – Elandré Jou Huis – Elvis Blue Pure Plaas – Ricus Nel	Becoming a Pop Star – Yanga Chief 3T – YoungstaCPT Injayam Vol.2 – DJ Sliqe PTYunLTD – KO Ungqongqoshe Wongqongqoshe – Big Zulu	True Stories - Bongo Riot Di Dancehall Wakanda From the Low Land - Skeleton Blazer Impilo Kantanga - Jeremiah Fyah Ises The Revealer - Botanist Vision 2020 - Fruitystar
Remix of the Year	Best Collaboration	Best Dance Album	Best Kwaito/Gqom/Amapiano
Shay’inumber (Deep Sen) - Oscar Nyathi Utatakho Remix - Yanga Chief (featuring Boity, Dee Koalaand Riky Rick) Sad To Think (Fka Mash Glitch Dub) - Sculptured Music Culture Vulture (Remix) - 25K When Jazz Meets House (The Squad Remix) - DJ General Slam (featuring Bruno Soares Sax)	Say U Will - KO (featuring Nandi Madida) Akulaleki - Samthing Soweto (featuring Sha Sha, DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small) Fetch Your Life - Prince Kaybee (featuring Msaki) Love You Tonight - MFR Souls (featuring DJ Maphorisa, Sha Sha and Kabza De Small) Tender Love - Sha Sha (featuring DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small)	Re Mmino - Prince Kaybee Akhiwe - Oskido Find Your Way - Malumz on Decks Monarch - Lady Zamar Vibez - DJ Mshega	Ikhenani - DJ Tira Baby Boy III - Vigro Deep Scorpion Kings - DJ Maphorisa (& Kabza De Small) The Beginning - MFR Souls The Return of the Scorpion Kings - Kabza De Small (& DJ Maphorisa)
Best Live Audio Visual Recording	Best Alternative Music Album	Best African Indigenous Faith	Best Traditional Faith Music Album
Glory in His Presence - Benjamin Dube A David Kind of Psalm (Live) - Sbu Noah Calvary - Dumi Mkokstad Krone 6 Live - Krone Various Artists Your Word Alibuyi Lilambatha - Kholeka	Cult Pop - Lo-Ghost Zeno - Muzi The Calling - James Deacon Ndim Nani - Zu. June - Manu Grace	Folklore: Chapter 1 - Pilani Bubu Toro ka Mmino - T.S S.G 2.0 - Tlale Makhene and Ziyawa Ka Zitha Power of Dreams - Judith Sephuma I Write What I Dream - Ntsika	Calvary - Dumi Mkokstad Re-Birth - TYGC Family Psalm 103 - Jeffrey Mkansi Praise & Repentance 2nd Offering - Muzie B OkaJehova Akanqotshwa - Deborah Fraser
Best Contemporary Faith Music Album	Best Maskandi Album	Rest of Africa Artist	Best Traditional Album
Glory in His Presence - Benjamin Dube A David Kind of Psalm (Live) - Sbu Noah Friends in Praise, Vol.2 - Neyi Zimu and Omega Khunou Project 17 Live at Carnival City -Worship House Seasons, Volume II - We Will Worship	Upopayi - Thokozani Langa Bawucisha ngo Paraffin - Abafana baka Mgqumeni Hlanga Lomhlabathi - Izingane Zoma Inhloko Nes’Xhanti - Khuzani Inyoka Yodumo - Sgwebo Sentambo	A Good Time - Davido (Nigeria) Blossom - Sha Sha (Zimbabwe) I Love Girls With Trobul - Sarz and WurlD (Nigeria) Metamorfose - Isabel Novella (Mozambique) YPSZN2 - PsychoYP (Nigeria)	Ungabanaki - Qadasi & Maqhinga Botshelo - Makopanela Pineng Richang - Tswelelang Cultural Dancers Sialala - Vha Venda Cultural Group Tshimo Ea Tlholwa - Mma Ausi
Best Engineered Album	Best Produced Music Video
Into Dust/Waltz for Jozi - Peter Auret I Write What I Dream - Robin Walsh Isiphithiphithi - Samthing Soweto, Pete Maher and Mas Musiq Promised Land - Kurt Michael The Return of the Scorpion Kings - Mas Musiq	Uncle Scroooch - Fetch Your Life (Prince Kaybee) Akulaleki - Yolanda Hlakula and Paul Ramaema Whipped - Kyle White SMA - Kyle White Pearls to Swine - Msaki (featuring Tresor & Kid X)

Best Produced Music VideoDJ Maphorisa, MFR Souls, Vigro Deep & Kabza De Small - Scorpion Kings

Music Video of the YearK.O - Supa DupaNasty C - SMAPrince Kaybee - Fetch your lifeSimmy - UmahlalelaTellaman - WhippedTNS - My DaliPrince Kaybee - GugulethuKwesta - Khethile KhethileBlack Motion - Joy JoyHolly Rey - YouAKA - JikaK.O - Say U WillMobi Dixon - AbantuDJ Maphorisa & Kabza De Small - KokoTLT - Mai ZuzuLady Zamar - This Is LoveDJ Sumbody - Ngwana DaddyZero12Finest - Baby Are You Coming?MFR Souls - Love You TonightDJ Zinhle - Umlilo

Special Awards

International Achievement Award

• Ndlovu Youth Choir

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Dan Tshanda
• Benjamin Dube

Music Video of the YearAKA featuring Yanga Chief - Jika

Notes and References

1. News: 2020 Sama awards split into 5 episodes as the show goes virtual | Channel. Channel.
2. Web site: 'We will save as there won't be any Sun City travel and clothes' - Arthur Mafokate as SAMAs move online. 7 July 2020.
3. Web site: SAMA26 nominations unearth fresh new gems.
4. Web site: Here's a List of the 2020 South African Music Awards (SAMAs) Winners. Okay Africa . 6 August 2020. 20 November 2020.