First Annual South African Amapiano Music Awards Launches. What started as a township sound has penetrated through the South African airwaves and to some parts of the world. Amapiano’s growth has become something to watch, despite being popular in the middle of a pandemic. While there are other multiple music awards series in South Africa, there wasn’t any that was dedicated to the movement of amapiano, until now!
From established amapiano artists to upcoming artists, the genre has made an incredible impact in South African music and is now being appreciated with the first amapiano awards set to take place annually. In the press release from the SAAPA (South African Amapiano Awards), it explains how the genre started as an “underdog’s sound” but has now found itself at the forefront of music culture on the African continent.
The rest of the statement reads, “What somewhat started as an “underdog’s sound” has now gone on to find itself at the forefront of music culture not only in Mzansi but the rest of the continent – and the world. It, therefore, came as a shock to many when categories in the prominent award ceremonies in the country were not dominated by Amapiano artists; despite the yanos leading in terms of fan base and numbers on social media as well as on DSPs – which is why the Governing Body of the inaugural Awards decided to come up with a ceremony that would specifically celebrate the genre, and we couldn’t be more excited about finally having an official Yanos Awards Show.”
“Launched right in the midst of a pandemic when artists are being told that they can’t work, the awards show is by the people, for the people and winners are voted for by the people themselves. Voters can win up to 100 000 worth of prizes for voting for their favourite nominees. Artists will win R10 000 cash for each winning category while Song of the Year will win a cash prize of 50 000 rands. AMAPIANO TO THE WORLD!!!”
