In 2005, she was named best newcomer, and on Saturday, Simphiwe Dana made good on that promise by walking away with four awards at the 13th annual South African Music Awards (Samas).
Dana was named best female artist and her album The One Love Movement on Bantu Biko Street was chosen as album of the year. The album also won best contemporary jazz album and best vocal jazz album.
Siphokazi, an Afro-soul recording artist, took home the best newcomer award for her album Ubuntu Bam, which was also named the best adult contemporary album in the African section.
Vusi Mahlasela was awarded the best male artist Sama for Naledi ya Tsela and Lloyd Ross won best engineer for his work on the album.
Mafikizolo won best African pop album as well as the award for the best compilation DVD.
Kabelo, who presented the awards, also won for Exodus in the category for best kwaito album. Best rap album went to Flabba for Nkuli vs Flabba.
Cassette performed at the event and their album Welcome Back to Earth was named as the best English rock album. Best English pop album went to multi-Sama-winner Danny K for his This Is My Time, while newcomer Lesego earned the best urban pop album accolade for his release Mymusic.
Eden triumphed in the category for best Afrikaans pop category with their self-titled release. Another winner in the now-expanded Afrikaans music categories was Kurt Darren, whose Lekker Lekker saw him win the Sama for best Afrikaans dance album.
There was huge appreciation from the audience in the Sun City Superbowl when last year’s best-selling album winner, Shwi Nomtekhala, won the Sama for best maskanda album. Another multi-Sama-winner was Rebecca, with the gospel artist taking home another award — this time for best urban gospel for Umthombo.
Lira’s Feel Good was named best music video, earning director Lara Hollis a well-deserved accolade.
DJ Cleo won in the closely watched category for best urban dance album with Eskhaleni Zone 3. One of DJ Cleo’s competitors in the category, DJ Sbu, closed the award ceremony with Remember When It Rains, which was chosen as the song of the year.
Winners list
Best female artist
Simphiwe Dana — The One Love Movement on Bantu Biko Street
Best male artist
Vusi Mahlasela — Naledi Ya Tsela
Best duo/group
Mafikizolo — Six Mabone
Best newcomer
Siphokazi — Ubuntu Bam
Album of the year
Simphiwe Dana — The One Love Movement on Bantu Biko Street
Best traditional Afrikaans music album
Klipwerf Orkes — Hantam Kwela
Best Tsonga music (XiTsonga) album
MD Shirinda — Gama Ra Nsele
Best Mbhaqanga album
Bhekumuzi Luthuli — Inkinga Ngu R7
Best Maskandi album
Shwi No Mtekhala — Angimazi UBaba
Best traditional accapella album
Colenso Abafana Benkokhelo — Induku
Best instrumental album
Paul Hanmer — Accused No.1 Nelson Mandela
Best contemporary jazz album
Simphiwe Dana — The One Love Movement on Bantu Biko Street
Best instrumental jazz album
Bheki Khoza — Getting To Heaven Alive
Best vocal jazz album
Simphiwe Dana — The One Love Movement on Bantu Biko Street
Best English adult contemporary album
Johnny Clegg — One Life
Best Afrikaans adult contemporary album
Chris Chameleon — 7de Hemel
Best African adult contemporary album
Siphokazi — Ubuntu Bam
Best urban gospel album
Redeemed — Live in Soweto
Best African contemporary gospel album
Rebecca – Umthombo
Best african traditional gospel album
Jabu & Sipho — Send your Fire
Best traditional African accapella gospel album
Thulani Manana – Impi Kasathane
Best pop/rock gospel album
MiC — Snapshot
Best Afrikaans kiddies album
Steve Hofmeyr — Laaities & Ladies
Best country music album
Fredi Nest — Hey DJ
Best English rock album
Cassette — Welcome Back to Earth
Best Afrikaans rock album
Fokofpolisiekar — Swanesang
Best alternative music album
Lark — Razbliuto
Best English pop album
Danny K — This is my Time
Best Afrikaans pop album
Eden — Eden
Best African pop album
Mafikizolo — Six Mabone
Best urban pop album
Lesego — MyMusic
Best Afrikaans dance album
Kurt Darren – Lekker Lekker
Best urban dance album
Dj Cleo — Eskhaleni Zone 3
Best R&B/Soul album
Claire Phillips — Say my Name
Best rap album
Flabba — Nkuli vs Flabba
Best kwaito album
Kabelo — Exodus
Best music video
Lara Hollis — Lira – Feel Good
Best live DVD
Soweto Gospel Choir — Blessed Live in Concert
Best compilation DVD
Mafikizolo — The Hits
Best producer
Moreira Chonguica and Mark Fransmar (The Moreira Project — The Journey Volume 1)
Best engineer
Lloyd Ross (Vusi Mahlasela — Naledi Ya Tsela)
Song of the year
DJ Sbu — Remember When It Rained