November 12, 2007
By Ndaba Dlamini
THIS year's Metro FM Music Awards promise to be a humdinger, with South Africa's best hip-hop, kwaito and jazz musos battling it out for top honours.
The finalists in the eighth annual music awards were announced on Wednesday, 7 November in Johannesburg, with jazz sensation Lira and hip-hop group Jozi topping the nominations tally.
Members of the public voted for their three favourite finalists after judges identified five nominees in each of the 15 categories - best male vocalist, best female vocalist, best R&B, best African pop, best kwaito, best hip-hop, best gospel, best jazz, best group, best compilation, best produced album, best styled, best newcomer, best dance and best song.
The public will once again decide who takes the top spots, voting by SMS for their favourite artist in each category. The winners of the 2007 Metro FM Music Awards will be announced on 24 November in Port Elizabeth.
Amstel Makwane, Koyo Bala and Jeff Moyo from gay group, 3sum made a colourful appearance
Announcing the finalists, Metro FM's station manager, Matona Sakupwanya, thanked the public for the "overwhelming" number of votes received. "This shows that South Africans are as passionate about their music as they are about their sport."
Competition will no doubt be tough, with Lira and Jozi getting nominations in four categories each. Lira's
Feel Good, Jozi's
What's With The Attitude and L'vovo's
Bayang'sukela are all in the running for song of the year.
Hot on their heels, Freshlyground and Siphokazi received nominations in three categories each. Siphokazi will be looking to add to her double triumph at the South African Music Awards.
Jozi, nominated for best group and best hip-hop, is up against stiff competition from Tuks and Proverb in the latter category. Ringo, Loyiso Bala and Lesego square up to each other for best male vocalist while Siphokazi, Lira and Nhlanhla Nciza face each other for best female vocalist.
But the stiffest competition is probably in the best African pop category, where Freshlyground, Mafikizolo and Malaika are locking horns for the top spot. Newcomer DJ C'ndo takes on the experienced Oskido and DJ Sbu for best compilation.
Tickets for the awards ceremony range in price from R100 to R165 and are available at Computicket outlets, on 083 915 8000, or online on the
Computicket website.
To vote for your favourite artists, SMS the exact category keyword - Male Vocal, Female Vocal, Newcomer, R&B, Kwaito, African Pop, Hip Hop, Gospel, Group, Compilation, Album, Song, Club DJ, Styled and Jazz - followed by the artist's name, to 34764.
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