Meet the nominees for the 1st annual SA dance music awards

Following the announcement of the first annual official Dance Music Awards South Africa this past July, South African fans took to the internet to vote for the favourites for the past six weeks.

Created to acknowledge and honour the accomplishments and contributions of South African dance music artists, the Dance Music Awards South African (DMASA) "aims to award the hard working, publicly-recognized individuals who are pushing boundaries and driving South Africa’s thriving dance music industry forward," explained the organizers in a statement. 

Submissions for nominees closed this past Friday and the top final nominees in each category were announced. The nominee selection was held entirely online and DMASA will be managed as an audience-voted award event dedicated to local dance music.

The public can now vote through the official website and social media until the 2nd October. The winners will be announced at an honorary dinner on the 5th October in Johannesburg where they will collect their actual physical awards as the actual awards ‘ceremony’ will also be conducted online.

According to the organizers, "this not only provides fans a chance to interact with artists/DJs around South Africa but also helps those artists/DJs gain recognition and prestige throughout a wider fan base and audience."

Nominees for the first annual Dance Music SA Awards:

BEST ALBUM

1. Chunda Munki - Interference
   
2. Jazzuelle - Circles
   
3. Jullian Gomes - Late Dreamer
   
4. Timo ODV Origins
   
5. Good Luck - Nature Within

BEST CLUB  / CLUB NIGHT

1. Origin
   
2. Electric Circus
   
3. Truth
   
4. Toy Toy
   
5. Shimmy Beach

BEST DANCE SHOW

1. Das Kapital presents In Das We Trust - 5FM
   
2. The Kyle Cassim Show - 5FM
   
3. The Players Club - Da Kruk - YFM
   
4. The Urban Beat - Metro FM
   
5. Kyle Worde - The 411 - Touch HD

BEST EDM RECORD

1. Das Kapital - Bend It
   
2. Rocca & Martini - Sky
   
3. Royal K - Vices
   
4. Keystate - Calling
   
5. Evida - You Gotta
   

BEST FEMALE DJ

1. Abby Nurock
   
2. DJ Zinhle
   
3. Lady Lea
   
4. SimStar
   
5. Lady Sakhe

BEST FEMALE ARTISTS

1. Lady Zamar
   
2. Tamara Dey
   
3. Amanda Black
   
4. Bucie
   
5. Jackie Queens
   

BEST FESTIVAL

1. Ultra
   
2. Spring Fiesta
   
3. Oppikoppi
   
4. Rocking the Dasies
   
5. H20

BEST HOUSE RECORD

1. Jullian Gomes - 1000 Memories
   
2. Chunda Munki - Interference
   
3. Kyle Watson ft Apple Gule - Solace
   
4. Sir Vincent Ft Lauren - Nirvana
   
5. DJ Thes-Man feat. Miss Patty - Moved On

BEST INTERNATIONAL DJ

1. Atjazz
   
2. Lars Behrenroth
   
3. DJ Snake
   
4. Dash Berlin
   
5. Alesso

BEST INT PRODUCER

1. The Layabouts
   
2. Stimming
   
3. Lars Behrenroth
   
4. Deadmau5
   
5. Atjazz

BEST KWAITO

1. Babes Wondumo - Wololo
   
2. OKMALUMKOOLKAT - GQI ft. AMADANDO
   
3. Killer Kau - Tholukuthi Hey ft. Mbali
   
4. DJ Gukwa ft Tipcee, Emza & DJ Tira - Amadada
   
5. Distruction Boyz - Madness (ft Tipcee)
   

BEST LIVE ACT

1. Black Motion
   
2. Good Luck
   
3. Pop Art
   
4. Mi Casa
   
5. Goldfish
   

BEST MALE DJ

1. Black Coffee
   
2. Kyle Cassim
   
3. Chunda Munki
   
4. Shimza
   
5. Kyle Watson

BEST MALE ARTIST

1. Apple Gule
   
2. Lazarusman
   
3. Timo ODV
   
4. Kaylow
   
5. J'Something

BEST VIDEO

1. TIMO ODV - Dancing Again
   
2. Bucie Ft Black Motion - Rejoice
   
3. Da Capo Ft Tresor - Speed of Sound
   
4. Prince Kaybee Ft Lady Zamar - Charlotte
   
5. Strange Loving - Changes

BEST PRODUCER

1. Black Coffee
   
2. Da Capo
   
3. Kyle Watson
   
4. Ryan Murgatroyd
   
5. Jazzuelle

BEST RECORD LABEL

1. Do It Now Recordings
   
2. House Afrika
   
3. Soulistic Music
   
4. Chutney Records
   
5. Go Go Music

BEST UNDERGROUND RECORD

1. Kat La Kat - Strange Signals
   
2. Jazzuelle Ft Lazarusman - Don’t Forget Me
   
3. Floyd Lavine - Masala
   
4. Strange Loving - Valentino Groove
   
5. Aero Manyelo - Mooki

COMPILATION OF THE YEAR

1. House Afrika Mzanzi 6
   
2. Fresh House Flava 9
   
3. Now Dance
   
4. Africa Get Physical
   
5. Kyle Watson Pres. The Low End Effect

REMIX OF THE YEAR

1. Tresor- Never Let Me Go (Mobi Dixion Remix)
   
2. DeMajor feat. Lizwi - Traveller (Kususa & Quetornik Official Remix)
   
3. Dj Merlon feat. Black Coffee & Khaya Mthethwa - Reflections (Enoo Napa Remix)
   
4. Dj Ganyani ft Laila - Talk To Me (Prince Kaybee Remix)
   
5. Alicia Keys - In Common (Black Coffee Remix)
   

The DMASA present an opportunity for music enthusiasts from around South Africa to celebrate their favourite DJs and/or artists by nominating or voting for them as a potential category winner.

Furthermore, the DMASA also hopes to stimulate dialogue and create a forum for songwriters, performers and dance music musicians. Through this exchange the DMASA hopes to draw attention to the artists/DJ’s and ideas at work in the dance music industry and promote greater participation and recognition for South African dance music abroad.

Main image credit: majestymagazine.co.za