Kabza de Small Tops Sama Nominations With Four Prominent Picks

South African Music Awards (Samas) nominee Kabza de Small is already turning heads ahead of the big night, leading the race with four nominations. The DJ and producer’s work is showing up across multiple categories, from Amapiano to collaborations, as the industry gathers to unveil this year’s shortlists.

The nods include recognition for his album Bab’Motha, which lands in both the Best Amapiano Album and Best Engineered Album categories. On top of that, he’s listed twice under Best Collaboration, tied to two standout tracks: Abantwana Bakho and Dlala Ka Yona.

Quick facts

• Kabza de Small leads the 2026 Samas nominations with four mentions.
• Bab’Motha is nominated for Best Amapiano Album and Best Engineered Album.
• Best Collaboration nominations: Abantwana Bakho and Dlala Ka Yona.
• The nominees were unveiled at Rockets in Bryanston on Thursday.
• RiSA CEO Nhlanhla Sibisi called the 2026 nominees “a breathtaking symphony of South African sound”.

Music’s heavy hitters came together at Rockets in Bryanston on Thursday for the official reveal of this year’s nominees. The evening set the tone for a wide-ranging celebration of sound, with the shortlist stretching across established powerhouses and emerging voices.

Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) CEO Nhlanhla Sibisi framed the 2026 selections as more than a list of strong recordings. He described the nominees as representing realized dreams, obstacles overcome, and creative paths that keep inspiring listeners, while also positioning the lineup as a meeting point between generations.

In his remarks, Sibisi highlighted the variety of genres represented across the Samas slate. He pointed to Amapiano innovators, Motswako, jazz performers, gospel powerhouses, Lekompo, Afro-pop stars, Maskandi storytellers, and hip-hop visionaries—all presented together as evidence of the country’s depth of talent.

He also suggested the industry is entering a “golden age” where styles overlap, audiences keep expanding, and South African music continues to draw attention worldwide. With SAMA32, Sibisi said the event is set to be bigger, bolder, and more reflective of the richness of South Africa’s musical identity than ever before.

Full list of nominees

Best Adult Contemporary Album

• Abel Selaocoe’s “Four Spirits” (Live) — Abel Selaocoe, Aurora Orchestra, Nicholas Collon, Bernhard Schimpelsberger
• Malachi’s Dream — Tim Parr
• Wrapped in Rhythm, Vol.2 — Tutu Puoane, Metropole Orkest & Jacome Bairos
• You Love Who You Love — Wandile Mbambeni

Best African Adult Contemporary Album

• Isitifiketi — Jabulile Majola
• KwaNtu — Madala Kunene & Sibusile Xaba
• Ngimuhle — Zawadi Yamungu

Best African Indigenous Faith Album

• Difela — De Bruin Gospel Projects
• Monghali Mesia — Amadodana Ase Wesile
• Ngiya Bonga Baba — The New Believers in God Gospel Singers
• The Journey Continues — Abanqobi
• U Ta Hlamula — Zion Iskhalanga Academy
• Amaciko — Lwah Ndlunkulu
• Inkanyezi 2.0 (Live) — Sjava
• Out The Box — Nomfundo Moh
• Touch is a Move (Good Morning) — Samthing Soweto
• From The Hill — Charles Webster
• Handsome Luke & The Heartbreakers — Mars Baby
• Listen Properly — Bombshelter Beast
• Throwing Stones — Archi
• Bab’Motha — Kabza De Small
• Mthuthuzeli — De Mthuda
• N’wana Wa Mutsonga — Kelvin Momo
• Thato Ya Modimo — Kelvin Momo

Best Classical Instrumental Album

• First Light — Marius Small-Smith
• Let the Children Play — John Lundun
• Light the Whole Sky — University of Pretoria Camerata
• Orchestrations — Guy Buttery
• Radio Gogo Worldwide — uBeyond
• Abantwana Bakho — DJ Maphorisa & XDuppy, Kabza de Small feat Thatohatsi, Young Stunna & Nkosazana Daughter
• Dlala Ka Yona — DJ Maphorisa & XDuppy Enny Man Da Guitar, Focalistic, Ricky Lenyora, Uncool MC, Mellow & Sleazy
• Shela — Sam Deep, Nia Pearl, Boohle, Mano
• Thandaza — Sam Deep, Thatohatsi
• Tobetsa 3.0 — Myztro, Leehleza, Shaunmusiq, Ftears

Best Contemporary Faith Music Album

• Passover — Nqubeko Mbatha
• Testify (Live at 012 Central, Pretoria 2024) — Mmuso Worship
• The 37th Psalm (Live at Emperors Palace) — Ncebakazi Msomi
• The GAP — Brenden Praise
• The Ground We’re On — Hle
• Amazwi Okubonga — MaWhoo
• Indigo Child II: Love & Frequency — Da Capo
• The Most Wanted — JAZZWRLD, Thukuthela
• Bab’Motha — Kabza De Small (Engineered by Thato & Kabza De Small)
• Free — Nasty C (Engineered by Mike Manitshana)
• Ntu Futurism — L8 Antique (Engineered by Matthew)
• Orchestrations — Guy Buttery (Engineered by Guy Buttery & Fuzzy)
• Touch is a Move (Good Morning) — Samthing Soweto (Engineered by Ross Dorkin)
• Dark or Durban 3 — Funky Qla
• Izinsimbi zaMakoya — DJ Tira
• New Wave — Blacks Jnr, Dankie Boi, GoldMax
• Puku Puku — Dladla Mshunqisi, Beast RSA
• Southside Mixtape — DJ Lag
• Boss Zonke Forever — Riky Rick
• The Secret Frequency — MashBeatz
• Ingoma Busuku — Paras “Sibalukhulu” Dlamini
• Intlambululo: Ukuhlambulula — Mandisi Dyantyis
• Intlungu. Intlupheko. Imbilini — Temba Ncetani
• Ithemba Elitsha (A New Hope) — Lumanyano Mzi
• The Y-Factor Project — Billy Monama
• Amalandi Amathathu — Saliwa
• Khotha La (A Tribute To Mjikjelwa) — Ntencane
• Ngabe Ngiloyiwe — Smiramira
• Ng’funa intozami — Mzukulu
• Don’t Cry Because It’s Over — Will Linley
• Last Call for Departure — Matt Gardiner
• Less Trouble — Shekhinah
• not the same. — Anica Kiana
• Ingoma Busuku — Paras “Sibalukhulu” Dlamini (Produced by Nduduzo Makhathini)
• Less Trouble — Shekhinah (Produced by Shekhinah, Rudolph Willemse, imnotgoofy, Mzizi, Gregory Abrahams, Iam6teen, Brendon-Lee Earl Johnson, Master A Flat)
• Sacred Cycle — Mauritz Lotz (Produced by Mauritz Lotz)
• Therapy: The Other Side — Langa Mavuso (Produced by Darren Blackansee, Simphiwe Mashinini, Ndumiso Manana, Ndabo Zulu, Christer Kobedi, Civil Motha, Unako Chabeli, Langa Mavuso, Jabulani Nkabinde, Lindelani Lee, Seragi Thantsha, Mnqobi Bayanda Nxumalo, Zooci, Jonathan Takyi Mensah, Onkabetse John Hlongwane)
• Zinza — Banda Banda (Produced by Banda Banda)

Best-produced Music Video

• Abantwana Bakho — DJ Maphorisa & XDuppy, Kabza De Small feat Thatohatsi, Young Stunna & Nkosazana Daughter (Produced by Nyiko; Directed by Nyiko)
• Leftie (Dlala Ngcobo) — Nasty C & Blxckie (Produced by Nasty C, Ayanda Ngcobo; Directed by Lordnelle)
• Partii — Kamo Mphela, Aymos, QUE DJ & Jay Music feat SpacePose (Produced by Kamo Mphela; Directed by Lindo_Langa)
• Shela (feat. Mano) — Single — Sam Deep, Nia Pearl, Boohle, Mano (Produced by Nyiko; Directed by Nyiko)
• Wayside Lover — Msaki, Jesse Clegg & Sjava (Produced by Nombuso Ngcobo; Directed by Marty Bleazard)
• Island 22 — Gemma Fassie
• It’s Complicated — Maxine Ceasar
• Resurfaced — Lucille Slade
• Therapy: The Other Side — Langa Mavuso
• You, Me & The 90’s — lordkez
• Foreign Exchange — Ras Canly
• Forward We Continue — Don Dada
• Rasta Man Step — Layahn King
• Victorious — Red I Scorch
• Back From the Dead — We Kill Cowboys
• Die Ruimte — Francois van Coke
• Onkruid — Karel Bester & Die Kraaines Band
• Scatterling Empire — Acid Magus

Best Traditional Faith Music Album

• Back To The Altar — Ntethe
• Praise & Worship In The Wilderness, Pt. 1 — Bucy Radebe
• Sound of Gratitude (Live at Urban Brew Dome) — Zaza
• The Watchmans Camp — Sindi Ntombela
• Worship in Newness — Puleng March

Best Traditional Music Album

• Born For This — MetroBeatz RSA
• I Khant Do Dhis Enimo — King Monada
• Pleasure in 20 Years — Pleasure Tsa Manyalo
• Sesi Ka Rose — Makhadzi Entertainment
• Thath’owakho — Soul Brothers

Beste Pop Album [Afrikaans]

• Dis Presies Wat Liefde Doen — Juan Boucher
• Troumateriaal — Brendan Peyper
• Aweh (Remix) — lordkez feat. Cassper Nyovest
• Eningi (Remix) — Kabza De Small, feat. Njelic, Mthunzi, Mkeyz, GL_Ceejay, Simmy
• Mabebuza — Mdu aka TRP Remix — Maline Aura, Drega, Mdu aka TRP
• Midnight (Black Motion Remix) — 340ml, Black Motion
• Re-Amathambo (Remix) — Nduduzo Makhathini, Anna Widauer, Fka Mash
• After Midnight — Gyakie (Ghana)
• Iron Boy — Black Sherif (Ghana)
• Olamidé — Olamide (Nigeria)
• REAL, Vol. 1 — Wizkid, Asake (Nigeria)
• This One Is Personal — Tiwa Savage (Nigeria).