If you haven’t yet, now would be a good time to get your entries in for the 2021 South African Music Awards. Entries for South Africa’s premier music award show opened up on the 27th November 2020 and will close at midnight on the 31st January 2021. Music eligible for a SAMA27 nomination must have been released between 1 February 2020 and 31 January 2021.
The Recording Industry of South Africa also recently announced a change to one of the awards; the Best Kwaito/Amapiano/Gqom Album has been discontinued and split into three separate awards. RiSA CEO Nhlanhla Sibisi said of the move, “This move is a reflection of the changing local music andscape as seen in the rise in popularity of these three genres. The consistent number of entries and the competitiveness of the music justified the unbundling of the old Best Kwaito/Amapiano/Gqom Album category. The SAMAs remain relevant and responsive to the trends in the music industry. We look forward to a great run in the new categories. I also wish to encourage our musicians to submit entries for SAMA consideration before the deadline of midnight on 31 January 2021.”
The SAMAs also announced that an EP consisting of 4 newly released tracks qualifies for submission as an album. After the submission period, a verification process will follow leading to the judging by a select panel of industry experts and peers before the nominees are announced.
If you’re uncertain about the entry rules and requirements, you can find them here. The entry form can also be found here.