Toya DeLazy won best newcomer award at this year's Samas.
Khuli Chana
?Motswako rapper Khuli Chana scooped all three awards he was nominated for at the 19th annual Samas: best rap album, best male artist and album of the year for his sophomore album Lost in Time.
This is also the first year a hip-hop album won the coveted album of the year award.
"That was the award we were going for, from the day that we started working on the album," said Chana.
Zahara
While no one could follow in the Loliwe singer's eight Samas she won last year, Zahara came back to collect three more trophies. She received the best collaboration award with singer Riot for their song, Thetha Nami, and the awards for best selling ringtone and best-selling full track download for Loliwe. In total, Zahara bagged 10 trophies for one album.
Sfiso Ncwane
For weeks fans voted for their favourite artist to win the record of the year award. From the initial 20 songs in the category, Donald Moatshe, Mthethwa, Micasa, Oskido and Sfiso Ncwane were announced as the final contenders in the category on Friday morning. Most thought that Mthethwa would win, as he had won every competition that involves fan votes, but gospel singer Sfiso Ncwane won for his single Kulungile Baba. The KwaZulu-Natal singer ran onstage to accept his award as the audience sang his song. Even Mthethwa admitted to voting for Kulungile Baba.
Professor
Mkhonzeni "Professor" Langa, received the kwaito album of the year award for The Orientation. Professor has become known across the country for his MetroFM Awards outfit choice, where he went dressed as a police officer. This time around, as the first presenter of the show, Professor walked onstage in a fireman’s outfit. His single Fingerprints has fast become a hit and had former ANC Youth League president Julius Malema excitedly dancing and singing along at the ceremony’s pre-party.
Freshlyground
Many fans rooted for eclectic soul group The Muffinz to win the duo/group of the year award but it was Afro-fusion band Freshlyground who walked away with it. They also won the duo/group of the year award in 2008, the same year they won the album of the year award for Ma’ Cheri.
Kelly Khumalo
Afropop singer Kelly Khumalo has been hard at work to make a comeback following her tell-all book The Kelly Khumalo Story, where she delved into her struggles with drugs, her relationship with singer Jub Jub and her reality show Rolling with Kelly Khumalo. The singer's string of nominations, which included female artist of the year, album of the year, and best African adult album was a surprise to many. The singer won the female artist of the year award.
Toya DeLazy
Pop sensation Toya DeLazy might have been snubbed at other awards ceremonies but this time she received three awards. Out of the six nominations she received, Toya won the newcomer of the year award and best pop album for Due Drop [Deluxe]. Jax Panik won the best producer award on Friday for their work on Toya’s album. Ahead of the ceremony, DeLazy said the best newcomer nomination was the category she had been most thrilled about. “Winning that would feel like I brought something fresh into the industry.”