Music News South Africa

Nominees announced for Wawela Music Awards

Mi Casa, Mandoza and Berita are among the contenders for honours at this year's Wawela Music Awards, which recognise South Africa's song writing and composing talent.

Tiyani Maluleke, Southern African Music Rights Organisation's Marketing GM, said that what sets the Wawela Music Awards apart from many other awards ceremonies in South Africa is the fact that they acknowledge the people behind the music we know and love, the composers and songwriters of music: "We felt it was important to acknowledge and celebrate the talented songwriters and composers of this country. Some of them are not necessarily performers, they write music for film, television and advertising meaning they sometimes go unnoticed. Without the SAMRO members who write and compose the songs that are the soundtracks of our lives, the world would be a less colourful place."

Nominees announced for Wawela Music Awards

Extensive audited process

The 2015 nominees were selected through an extensive audited process adjudicated by individuals drawn from several quarters of the South African music industry. Maluleke added that there was a huge amount of creative talent in South Africa and that the adjudication process was not an easy one.

"We would like to extend hearty congratulations to all our nominees this year; it is through their hard work and support that we are able to have a successful event that celebrates and showcases South Africa's composing and song writing talent," she said.

The WMAs are not exclusively designed to provide a platform for works that are created for performance. They also showcase the work of film score composers, television production composers and music used in commercials.

Wawela Music Award winners will be announced during a ceremony on 26 June, 2015.

Nominees:

Best Soundtrack in a Feature Film or Theatric Documentary

Chris Letcher
Benjamin Willem
Alun Richards

Best Song or Composition in a Television Production

Brendan Jury
Gideon Murray
Musa

Best Song or Composition in a Television Commercial

Jeremy Loops
Alun Richards
Adam Howard

Best Song or Composition in a Radio Commercial

Alun Richards
RJ Benjamin
Louis Enslin

Best Creative Album of the Year

Mi Casa
Jessica Mbangeni
Nomfundo Xaluva

Songwriter of the Year

Berita
Max-Hoba
Elpece Musiq

Best South African Duo/Group

Blackbyrd
SAM
Mike McCully

Best Female Artist & composer/co-composer

Nomfundo Xaluva
Lindiwe Maxolo
Berita

Best Male Artist & composer/co-composer

Mandoza
Elvis Blue
Jeremy Olivier

www.wawelamusicawards.co.za

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