A number of new kids on the music block dominate the major categories for the landmark 20th Annual South African Music Awards – with some familiar favourites also creeping into the running for SA’s most prestigious music competition.

The nominees for SAMA 20 were announced amid great excitement and anticipation at Sun International’s Carnival City in Ekurhuleni this morning.

Newcomers Gangs of Ballet are set to rock the SAMAs with five nominations, leading the pack along with perennial dance darlings Mi Casa.

Another two stellar fresh faces, Naima Kay and Nakhane Touré, have emphatically announced their presence on the scene with four nods apiece – including three in the coveted top five categories.

Also bagging four SAMA nominations are Mafikizolo, whose comeback release Reunited has been crowned with nods for Best Pop Album, Best Collaboration, Duo or Group of the Year and Album of the Year.

Former SAMA winners The Parlotones have made it clear that they have no intention of slowing down any time soon by securing nominations across four categories.

Joining Mafikizolo in the Album of the Year category are music acts representing a diverse mix of genres: DJ Kent, Mi Casa, Naima Kay and Nakhane Touré.

Another fiercely contested category is Duo or Group of the Year, in which electronic trio GoodLuck and Afropop duo Mafikizolo vie for glory with veteran rockers The Parlotones and newbies Gangs of Ballet, as well as house favourites Mi Casa.

SAMA 20 will once again see debutantes basking in the well-deserved limelight, with the Newcomer of the Year category contested among Gangs of Ballet, Nakhane Touré, Naima Kay, IFani and MuzArt.

Kay also gamely steps up to the plate to compete with her more established counterparts in the Female Artist of the Year category: Judith Sephuma, Rebecca, Zahara and Dear Reader.

Similarly, fellow newcomer Touré will be hoping to stand his ground when it comes to the competition for Male Artist of the Year. He will be slugging it out with breakthrough singer-songwriters Connell Cruise and Matthew Mole, as well as more seasoned campaigners Vusi Mahlasela and Kabomo.

David du Plessis, the Chief Operating Officer of the Recording Industry of SA (RISA), said this year’s event will be special in more ways than one: “Not only are we celebrating 20 years of South Africa’s premier music awards, we are also commemorating the country’s 20th anniversary of democracy.”

Du Plessis said that as a symbolic tribute to the first democratic elections, which were held on 27 and 28 April 1994, the SAMA 20 awards ceremony will take place exactly 20 years later, on 28 April 2014, at the Sun City Superbowl.

“Just as the country has evolved into a mature democracy over the past two decades, the SAMAs have also developed into the polished, professional and hotly anticipated industry event that they are today,” he added.

“This year’s crop of SAMA nominees perfectly encapsulate the rainbow nation in all its creative diversity and vibrancy. We are extremely proud to be sharing our 20-year milestone with the birth of the new South Africa as a nation.”

As always, all eyes will be on the Record of the Year category, which is determined by a public vote. The nominees for this award will be announced shortly, after which fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite song and artist of 2013. Prepare for a thrilling contest!

The Lifetime Achievement Awards, honouring the veterans and game-changers in the industry, will also be revealed prior to the awards ceremony.

The countdown to the 20th Annual SAMA Awards at Sun City on 28 April 2014 starts tonight with a bash of note at the official SAMA Celebration Party in Sandton, where Mzansi’s finest music makers of 2013 will come out to play – and dance the night away!

Amongst the other celebrities we saw were the likes of Khaya Mthethwa, J-Something and Zahara who were the amongst the panel of musicians to announce the nominees.

The nominees’ announcement and all the red-carpet glamour and excitement of the celebration party will be streamed live in real time on the SAMA 20 mobisite. For those who miss out on all the live action, packaged highlights will also be available for viewing on the mobisite (www.samatv.mobi) and on the official SAMA 20 YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/samusicawards).

For more information on SAMA 20, visit www.samusicawards.co.za. Get hold of the nominated albums now at iTunes.com/SAMA

The Annual South African Music Awards are organised by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RISA), a trade association of recording companies operating in South Africa.

Here are some of the few nominations.

Nominees for the 20th Annual South African Music Awards:

Album of the Year
DJ Kent     The Weekent
Mafikizolo    Reunited
Mi Casa     Su Casa
Naima Kay    Umsebenzi
Nakhane Touré    Brave Confusion

Duo or Group of the Year
Gangs of Ballet -   Yes/No/Grey
GoodLuck -   Creatures of the Night
Mafikizolo  -  Reunited
Mi Casa  -   Su Casa
The Parlotones -   Stand Like Giants

Female Artist of the Year
Dear Reader -   Rivonia
Judith Sephuma -   The Experience Live in Concert
Naima Kay  -  Umsebenzi
Rebecca Malope  -   Bayos'Khomba
Zahara -    Phendula

Male Artist of the Year
Connell Cruise -   Connell Cruise
Kabomo -    Memory Remains
Matthew Mole -   The Home We Built
Nakhane Touré -   Brave Confusion
Vusi Mahlasela  -  Sing to the People

Newcomer of the Year
Gangs Of Ballet  -  Yes/No/Grey
IFani   -  I Believes in Me (1st Quadrant)
MuzArt   -  MuzArt
Naima Kay  -  Umsebenzi
Nakhane Touré -   Brave Confusion

Best Rock Album
Gangs of Ballet  - Yes/No/Grey
Shadowclub  -  Goodbye Wild Child
The Black Cat Bones -  Beatipiller
The Parlotones -   Stand Like Giants
Van Coke Kartel  - Bloed, Sweet & Trane
 
Best Pop Album
Danny K  -   Good Look
GoodLuck  -  Creatures of the Night
LCNVL  -   Faster Longer Mixtape
Mafikizolo -   Reunited
Matthew Mole  -  The Home We Built
 
Best African Adult Album
Naima Kay    Umsebenzi
Selaelo Selota    The Promise
Vusi Mahlasela    Sing to the People
Zamajobe    Thula Mntwana
Zonke     Give and Take Live
 
Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album
Kabomo    Memory Remains
MuzArt     MuzArt
The Soil    Reflections Live in Joburg
Vusi Nova    Walk into Light
Zahara     Phendula
 
Best Rap Album
AB Crazy - Home Coming
iFani - I Believes in Me (1st Quadrant)
Kwesta - DaKAR
L-Tido - All of Me
Molemi - A Sia
 
Best Kwaito Album
Alaska - The Revival
Big Nuz - Made in Africa
Character - Self-Control
Mandoza - Sgantsontso
Tzozo - Amabills
 
Best Dance Album
DJ Kent - The Weekent
Lulo Café - Soul Africa
Mi Casa - Su Casa
Uhuru - Our Father
Zakes Bantwini - The Fake Book & Real Book: My Music Bible
 
Best Traditional Faith Music Album
Andile KaMajola - Chapter 6 ujehova ungibiyele
Deborah - Umqhele
Lusanda Spiritual Group - Uhambo Lwam
Rebecca Malope - Bayos'Khomba
Worship House - Project 10 Live in Limpopo, RSA
 
Best Contemporary Faith Music Album
Benjamin Dube -Renewal in His Presence with Benjamin
Dube
Judith Sephuma - The Experience Live in Concert
Nqubeko Mbatha - Sentiments of a Worshiper
Soweto Gospel Choir - Divine Decade
& Friends 
We Will Worship - YHWH
 

Best Live DVD
Nataniël - Factory
Skouspel 2013 - Skouspel 2013
The Soil - Reflections Live in Joburg
Unathi - An Intimate Night with Unathi
Zonke  - Give and Take Live
 
Best Collaboration
DJ Kent Ft The Arrows - Spin My World Around
LCNVL Ft Lakota Silva -Closer
Mafikizolo Ft May D - Happiness
The Parlotones, Khuli   Sleepwalker
Chana & Jon Savage
Uhuru Ft Oskido, Professor &  Y-tjukutja
DJ Bucks   
 
Best Music Video of the Year
Goldfish -One Million Views
Mi Casa - Jika
The Muffinz -Umsebenzi Wendoda (An Ode to Single Mothers)
The Parlotones, Khuli -Sleepwalker
Chana & Jon Savage
Toya Delazy - Memoriam
 
Best Producer of the Year
Danny K -  Good Look by Danny K
Darryl Torr - Yes/No/Grey by Gangs of Ballet
David Poole &   Three Second Memory by Goldfish
Dominic Peters
Dan Roberts - Border Crossing by Laurie Levine
Shaun Jacobs - Love Can by Shaun Jacobs
 
 
Remix of the Year
Euphonik - Hallelujah Anyway
Khuli Chana - Hape (Part 2)
Mi Casa - Jika
Oskido - Tsa Ma Ndebele
Uhuru - Thath'isghubu

The SAMA Awards will be held on the 28th of April 2014 in Sun City.

Follow us on Instagram to see what some of the artists had to say about the nominations and awards