Nominees were announced on October 3, 2023, live on YouTube. The late AKA leads the nominees with 7 nominations for his posthumous album Mass Country, ahead of K.O with six nominations.[2] [3]
29th South African Music Awards delayed due to financial difficulties, unlike other years nominations are announced on the first quarter.[4]
Nominees were announced on October 3, 2023, live on YouTube at Soweto State Theater.
The ceremony was planned to be held at Durban ICC Arena on November 18 and broadcast live on SABC 1.[5] Later was announced that the venue is changed to Sun Bet Arena.
Below is the full list of nominees. Winners are listed first bold face.
| Female Artist of the Year | Male Artist of the Year |
|---|
- Ntokozo Mbambo – Lavish Worship
- Kelly Khumalo – From A God To A King
- Sincerely Anne – To Whom it May Concern
- Hle – Take Heart
- Thandi Ntuli – Blk Elijah & The Children of Meroë
|
|
| Duo or Group of the Year | Newcomer of the Year |
|---|
|
| - Myztro – 2.0 Nkwari
- Blakka Yut – Unleashed
- Sincerely Anne – To Whom it May Concern
- Lloyiso – Seasons
- Venom and Shishiliza – Love Is Pain
|
| Album of the Year | Best Engineered Album |
|---|
- Lavish Worship – Ntokozo Mbambo
- Mass Country – AKA
- SR3 – K.O
- Isibuko – Sjava
- KOA II Part 1 – Kabza De Small
| - Mass Country– AKA (engineered & produced by Robin Kohl and Itu)
- To Whom it May Concern – Sincerely Anne (engineered and produced by Tjaart van der Walt and Daniel Baron)
- Kanniedood – Francois van Coke (engineered & produced by Taylor Soundworks)
- Blk Elijah & The Children of Meroë – Thandi Ntuli (engineered & produced by Shane, Tshepo, Thandi & Clinton)
- Isibuko – Sjava, (engineered & produced by Ruff)
|
| Best African Adult Contemporary Album | Best Alternative Album |
|---|
- Usiba Lwe Gazi – Nathi
- Celebrating African Song – Dumza Maswana
- Smile – Choko
- I am Gold – S'nazo
- Ubuhle Ubuhle – Lethiwe Sithole
| - On the Romance of Being – Desire Marea
- Glitch Vol 2: The Future Is Now – uBeyond
- Synthetic Hearts – Msaki and Tubatsi
- Blue Lawns – The Great Yawn
- Leaving All The Time – Bye Beneco
|
| Best Amapiano Album | Best Classical/Instrumental Album |
|---|
- KOA II Part 1 – Kabza De Small
- Amukelani – Kelvin Momo
- Ba Straata – DJ Maphorisa and Visca
- 2.0 Nkwari – Myztro
- Scorpion Kings Live Sun Arena – DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small
| - Fire Beast – Vox Chamber Choir and Franco Prinsloo
- Live in Europe 22 – CH2
- One Night On Earth – Derek Gripper
- Maike – Juliet String Quartet
- Sanctuary – Carol Thorns
|
| Best Collaboration | Best Pop Album |
|---|
- AKA featuring Nasty C – "Lemons (Lemonade)"
- K.O, Young Stunna featuring Blxckie – "Sete"
- DJ Maphorisa and Visca featuring 2woshortrsa, Stompiiey, ShaunMusiQ, Ftears and Madumane – "Ba Straata"
- Mörda featuring Oscar Mbo and Murumba Pitch – "Mohigan Sun"
- AKA featuring Kiddominant – "Company"
| - Seasons – Lloyiso
- Things We Don't Talk About – Jimmy Nevis
- Heard You Got Love – Jeremy Loops
- Game Over – Tyler Page
- Petrichor – Amy Lilley
|
| Best Produced Album | Best Produced Music Video |
|---|
- KOA II Part 1 – Kabza De Small (producer: Leslie George Theko, Artwork Sound, Da Muziqal Chef, Mdu aka TRP, Stakev, DJ Maphorisa and Felo Le Tee)
- Things We Don’t Talk About – Jimmy Nevis (producer: Darren Petersen)
- Amukelani – Kelvin Momo (producer: Kelvin Momo)
- Lindokuhle – Mlindo the Vocalist (producer: Mthunzi, Howard, Herc, Tshepo Morone, DJ Maphorisa, Masiano)
- Isibuko – Sjava (producer: Delayde, Ruff, Jah Cool)
| - "Shine" – Elaine (producer: Shayna Gianelli; director: Jesse Ray Diamond)
- "Lemons (Lemonade)" – AKA featuring Nasty C (producer: Tebogo Mabaso; director: Nate Thomas)
- "SETE" – K.O featuring Young Stunna & Blxckie (producer: K.O, Tsholofelo Moremedi, Ted Magerman; director: Ted Magerman)
- "Be Free" – Desire Marea (producer: Will Nicholson; Director: Imraan Christian
- "Been Thinking" – Tyla (producer: Jimi Adesanya; director: Meiji Alabi)
|
| Best Reggae Album | Beste Kontemporere Musiek Album |
|---|
- Unleashed – Blakka Yut
- Youth's Cry – Botanist Mr Lamington
- Red Carpet Live – Maximum Stylez
- Flight More Riddim – Blackness Blue Productions
- Healing – Lavoro Duro
| - Toe Roep Ek Jou Naam – Jan Blohm & Ryno Velvet
- Sing, Hoop, Weerklink – Prop
- Skree Net Sag – Alter Ego
- Ep In F – Herman Kleinhans
- Jagvat – Jan Rhaap
|
| Remix of the Year | Best Gqom Album |
|---|
- "Ndinovalo" – Mörda, Yallunder
-
- "Au Dede" – Karyendasoul
- "Tobesta Remake" – Myztro featuring Focalistic, Daliwonga, Shaunmusiq and Ftears
| - Meeting with the King – DJ Lag
- Fikelephi – Sizwe Mdlalose
- Love & Light – Cairo CPT
- Nande 2.0 – DJ Sandiso
- Ithuba – Newlandz Finest
|
| Best African Indigenous Faith Album | Best Hip Hop Album |
|---|
- Emmanuel – JTG Gospel Choir
- Mantswe A Supileng – Spiritual Gospel Choir
- Ikhoni Mfuyo – In Zion of Christ
- Ba Ya Mo Nyatsa – Wacha Mkhukhu Wachumlilo
- Ntate Le Rato La Hao – Ingqayizivele Gospel Choir
| - Religion– MashBeatz
- Mass Country – AKA
- SR3 – K.O
- Life is Gangsta – Thato Saul
- Diaspora – Maglera Doe Boy
|
| Best Jazz Album | Best Kwaito Album |
|---|
- In the Spirit of Ntu – Nduduzo Makhathini
- Isambulu – Linda Sikhakhane
- Blk Elija & The Children of Meroe – Thandi Ntuli
- The 1st Gospel – Mthunzi Mvubu
- Finish the Sun – Shane Cooper and Mabuta
| - Speak n Vrostaan – Kwesta and Kabza De Small
- R Mashesha – Big Nuz I Am Who I Am – Nkiyase
- Jukebox – Shisaboy
- Barabbas – Taylor K
|
| Best Maskandi Album | Best R&B Album |
|---|
- Umqhele Nethawula – Khuzani
- Ngeke Ungiphathe – Menzi
- Is' khiye Se-Coldroom – Thokozani Langa Iphakade Lami – Abafana Bakamgqumeni
- Home Alone – Inkos'yamagcokama
| - But Could The Moments in Between – Ndumiso Manana
- Germander II – Lesego Kyle Mnyandu
- Passion Fruit – Kabomo
|
| Best Traditional Album | Best Adult Contemporary Album |
|---|
- African Queen 2.0–Makhadzi
- Ke Bone Molelo O Timile – MmaAusi
- A Reyeng Bahurutshe – Oarabele France Makgore
- Obe Happy – Molebatsi Tsotetsi
- Inkabi Nation – Big Zulu, Lwah Ndlunkulu, Xowla, Siya Ntuli
| - Dark Secrets – Louise Carver
- Bait For Steps Forward – Nobuhle Ashanti
- Memories – Drakensberg Boys Choir
|
| Best Dance Album | Best Afro-pop Album |
|---|
- Asante – Mörda
- Next Level – Russell Zuma
- The Gospel According to Artwork Sounds – Grain
- WL4OM – Karyendasoul
- A New Dawn – Siyanda Makanya
| - Isibuko – Sjava
-
- Love is Pain – Venom
- Ekhayakomama – Philadlozi Mfekayi
|
| Best Rock Album | Best Traditional Faith Album |
|---|
- Kanniedood – Francois Badenhorst
- Fine Thanks, and You? – Russell Coward
- Hellcats – End of Days – Warwick Rautenbach/Alessandro Benigno
- Fuzigish – Malcolm King
- Testify – Basson Laubscher
| - The Overflow – Dumi Mkokstad
- Hoja Ke Sena Wena – IPCC
- Ndiyabulela – Tsholofelo Ntuli
- The Grace Encounter Vol. 1 – Phumulani Radebe
- Sedi Laka – Brown Mosiapoa
|
| Best Contemporary Faith Album | Beste Pop |
|---|
- Lavish Worship – Ntokozo Mbambo
- Mhalamhala – Brenden Praise
- Take Heart – Hle
- Restored: The Jesus Collective – The Jesus Collective
- Hope – Vincent Jiyane
| - Jona – Bernice van der Westhuizen
- Insomnia – Brendan Peyper
- Loufi Flippen Loufi – Ifan-Luc Carlo Handel
- Hittegolf – Brandon Eloff
- Die Onbekende – Renier van der Westhuizen
| |
