- Songbird nominated across three categories at SA’s inaugural Amapiano Awards
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
Local songbird Mpho Sebina’s decision to answer the Amapiano call has proven to be a success, witness she being slated to perform at South Africa’s first Amapiano Awards at the Sandton Convention Centre on 23 October 2021.
Earlier this year, the songstress collaborated with SA’s Major League DJs for the smash hit “Dinaledi” that is on every Amapiano fan’s playlist. The Amapiano genre is currently at the forefront of music culture not only in Africa but in the rest of the world.
In an earlier interview, Mpho Sebina explained how the collaboration had started on Twitter. “Major League DJs tweeted that they would like to work with me one day and I reached out to send something and “Dinaledi” was born,” she said. “The song is about missing someone close to your heat but knowing that they are always with you in spirit.”
“Dinaledi” has been nominated across three categories at the South Africa Amapiano Awards, earning the Mochudi-born singer consideration for Song of the Year, Best Amapiano Music Vibes and Best Amapiano Produced Song.
Conceived in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic when the performance industry had come to a grinding halt, the awards are to celebrate South Africa’s and one of the continent’s latest genres and its artists. There are 20 categories and winners of each will walk away with R10 000 while the winner of coveted Song of the Year will pocket R50 000.
As Sebina continues to experiment with the Amapiano sound, she recently teamed up with Abidoza and Jay Sax on a new tune called “Motho ke Motho ka Batho.” The song has been trending and topping the charts on local radio airwaves.
Amapiano started as just a style of music, which was considered to be a sub-genre of house or kwaito. For Botswana, more and more artists are riding on this new wave by adding their own unique touch like telling stories peculiar to the country in Setswana lyrics and nuances in local dialects and over classic Amapiano beats.
A typical “piano” song entails catchy lyrics or chants, grooves of deep house, a kwaito sound with a jazz piano, log drums and percussion often inspired by Bacardi house.
Sebina has been making great tunes for a while, “Lora” being her most recent album. The “Loves Light” crooner has also been nominated for Best Female Single at the upcoming Yarona FM Music Awards (YAMAS).