THREE Eastern Cape musicians and spiritual groups are hoping they will be among the winners when the national gospel music awards kick off in nine days’ time.
The SABC Crown Gospel Awards are the biggest of its kind in the country and have been the launch pad to stardom for many an Eastern Cape musician. The awards honour singers in all gospel categories, including hip-hop, although there are no Eastern Cape nominees in the latter category.
Eastern Cape musicians nominated for the awards are: the Lusanda Spiritual Group, Zama and the Voice Ministries and Dumi Mkokstad.
Dumi Mkokstad, a 23-year-old Kokstad-born musician, said he was honoured to be nominated for an award.
“It is very humbling for me as a young musician to be nominated along with the likes of Thobekile Mkhwanazi, Andile KaMajola and Mxolisi Mbethe,” he said.
Mkokstad is the youngest nominee in the song of the year category for his popular song, Mbize. Mkokstad’s latest album, Mbize uJehovah, has been nominated in two categories: best engineer and best gospel producer. “I’m grateful to God for all these nominations, it was because of His grace, not my work, that I’ve been nominated. I hope I bring it home,” said the KwaZulu-Natal University second-year student, who is currently in Cape Town campaigning for votes for these awards.
The Mthatha-based Lusanda Spiritual Group has been nominated in the best traditional category, while Zama and the Voice Ministries is nominated in the best pop gospel category. This is the first nomination for the King William’s Town gospel group. They will be competing against The Plain Truth, Grace Galaxy and Moeng for an award.
Three Umhlobo WeneneFM presenters Nomonde Vakalisa, Ntsikelelo Maphosa and Mzukisi Faleni are also eyeing the crown for best gospel radio show. Crown Gospel Awards’ Wendy Sithole said they received about 500 entries from musicians across the country. She said there were a total of 31 categories, of which six are voted on by the public, while the rest are judged in-house.
She said the awards were growing in popularity each year.
“We have seen impressive growth in terms of entries, especially in the categories of best newcomer as well as best of Africa ,” she said, adding that in the awards’ debut year there were less than 150 entries.
Awards spokesman Sipho Kaleni said he believed all those who had been nominated were winners.
The awards ceremony takes place on November 17 at Durban’s International Convention Centre. — poliswap@dispatch.co.za
Praying for gospel award victory
The SABC Crown Gospel Awards are the biggest of its kind in the country and have been the launch pad to stardom for many an Eastern Cape musician. The awards honour singers in all gospel categories, including hip-hop, although there are no Eastern Cape nominees in the latter category.
Eastern Cape musicians nominated for the awards are: the Lusanda Spiritual Group, Zama and the Voice Ministries and Dumi Mkokstad.
Dumi Mkokstad, a 23-year-old Kokstad-born musician, said he was honoured to be nominated for an award.
“It is very humbling for me as a young musician to be nominated along with the likes of Thobekile Mkhwanazi, Andile KaMajola and Mxolisi Mbethe,” he said.
Mkokstad is the youngest nominee in the song of the year category for his popular song, Mbize. Mkokstad’s latest album, Mbize uJehovah, has been nominated in two categories: best engineer and best gospel producer. “I’m grateful to God for all these nominations, it was because of His grace, not my work, that I’ve been nominated. I hope I bring it home,” said the KwaZulu-Natal University second-year student, who is currently in Cape Town campaigning for votes for these awards.
The Mthatha-based Lusanda Spiritual Group has been nominated in the best traditional category, while Zama and the Voice Ministries is nominated in the best pop gospel category. This is the first nomination for the King William’s Town gospel group. They will be competing against The Plain Truth, Grace Galaxy and Moeng for an award.
Three Umhlobo WeneneFM presenters Nomonde Vakalisa, Ntsikelelo Maphosa and Mzukisi Faleni are also eyeing the crown for best gospel radio show. Crown Gospel Awards’ Wendy Sithole said they received about 500 entries from musicians across the country. She said there were a total of 31 categories, of which six are voted on by the public, while the rest are judged in-house.
She said the awards were growing in popularity each year.
“We have seen impressive growth in terms of entries, especially in the categories of best newcomer as well as best of Africa ,” she said, adding that in the awards’ debut year there were less than 150 entries.
Awards spokesman Sipho Kaleni said he believed all those who had been nominated were winners.
The awards ceremony takes place on November 17 at Durban’s International Convention Centre. — poliswap@dispatch.co.za
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