Kelvin Momo and Black Motion Lead the Nominees of the 2025 SAMAs
The Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) officially unveiled the nominees for the 2025 South African Music Awards (SAMA31), a dazzling roll call across 25 categories revealed in a high-energy virtual showcase that draws the nation into the very pulse of its music scene. To sustain anticipation, the coveted Top Five categories remain under wraps, set to be revealed in September, ensuring the build-up to the big night stays electric.
In November 2025, the SAMA stage, long celebrated as the pinnacle of South Africa’s music calendar, will return in an evolved hybrid format, seamlessly blending the magic of a live, in-person ceremony with the reach and dynamism of a virtual broadcast. This format aims to expand the SAMA experience, offering fans across the globe front-row access while preserving the intimacy and grandeur of the physical event. It will be a night where artistry, rhythm, and reinvention converge in a bold reimagining of what an awards celebration can be.
The SAMAs this year include nominees with multiple nods, with Black Motion and Kelvin Momo emerging as the year’s most recognised acts, each securing three nominations across major categories. They are closely followed by The Morning After, Blxckie, Sjava, Franco Prinsloo, TitoM and Thandiswa Mazwai, who all earned two nods apiece. The diverse list cuts across genres from amapiano and gqom to jazz, hip hop, and traditional music, setting the stage for one of the most competitive editions of the SAMAs in recent memory.
Three-time nominee Black Motion | SUPPLIED
Best Gqom Album
DJ Lag — The Rebellion
Lelowhatsgood — Next Level
Goldmax — Play At Your Own Risk
DJ Sandiso — NANDE 3.0
Mr Thela — Tronics Land 3
Best Jazz Album
Peter Auret — Hope Dies Last
Nduduzo Makhathini — uNomkhubulwane
Ncesh Nonxishi — Apho Kungenje
Nomfundo Xaluva — Ndilapha
Nick Ford — Terra Solus
Best Adult Contemporary Album
Nue Sam — Nonyezi
Just 6 — uKhisimuzi: An African Christmas
Tony Drake — Room For Everyone
Melanie Scholtz — Seven
The Morning After — Look At You Now
Best Hip Hop Album
Tony Dayimane — Red October: Induction
Sizwe Alakine — Audio 2D; Dear Darkie
25K — Loyal To The Plug: The Life & Times of Don Kilog
Blxckie — See U Soon Delux
Loatinover Pounds — Pray 4 Pitori
Two-time nominee Blxckie | SUPPLIED
Best African Indigenous Faith Album
Zanele J. Naledi — Ikutana
Brown Mosiapoa — Nkapese Ka Maatla
Thapelo Mosia — Busa Jeso
JTG Gospel Choir — Morena Re Ya Leboga
Kago Molefe — Re Kgoletsa Magodimong
Best Contemporary Faith Music Album
Mangaliso — Living Word
SbuNoah — Heavenly Psalms Level 2
Nontokozo Mkhize — Lindwe
Takie Ndou — The Glory
Jabu Hlongwane — Crosspower Experience 4
Best Rock Album
Bloumoord — VIR MEKAAR
The Morning After — Look At You Now
The Man Motels — Old Wounds
Prime Circle — The World We Know
MaxX & Love — These Blues Might Get You Too
Best Afro Pop Album
Sjava — Isibuko (Deluxe)
Dalom Kids — Collaborations With Friends
Sjava — Inkanyezi (Live)
Malik — Malik
Nomfundo Moh — Twenty Four
Two-time nominee Sjava | SUPPLIED
Best Traditional Music Album
Makhadzi — Miracle Child (Deluxe)
Sabu Jiyana — Kwanomthandazo
Keitumetse Mangate — O MoleleMma
Ausi Lekoma — Mmakgodu
Pleasure Tsa Manyalo — Bakokota (EP)
Best Classical/Instrumental Album
Franco Prinsloo & Vox Chamber Choir — A Season in Paradise
Christopher Vale, Eugene Joubert & Franco Prinsloo — By Alle Skone Dinge
Pascal Righini — Awake for 22 Hours
John Lundun — In The Morning
Derek Gripper — Ballaké Sissoko & Derek Gripper
Best Alternative Album
Th&o. — Emilotheni
Zádok — Perspective: Black
Spoegwolf — Berge
Francis Soal — Hindsight 2020
Yoav & Jabulile Majola — Unyazi
Best Contemporary Music Album
Pietman Geldenhuys — Vaalsand
Majo Rademeyer — Frames
Neil Sandilands — Land & Sand
Spitting wolf — Final destination
Ampie — No One’s Land
Best Maskandi Album
Ntencane — Alingeni
Umafikizolo — Ngathi Nguye
Khuzani — Angidlali Nezingane
Phuzekhemisi — iPolitiki
Imithente — Amathambo Kagogo
Best Produced Music Video
Mthandeni SK ft. MaWhoo — Gucci (Official Music Video)
TitoM & Yuppe — Tshwala Bam (Remix)
Shekhinah ft. Moliy — Risk
Soa Mattrix — Umbuzo
Blxckie — South
Remix of the Year
Tycoon — Iza Mawala
Jnr SA — Mngani
TitoM — Tshwala Bam
Mpho.Wav — Hlala
Woodblock DJs — Skuta Baba
Best African Adult Contemporary Album
Thandiswa Mazwai — Sankofa
ZOÉ — Nomthandazo Ndu Shezi — Isibusiso Sami
Zamajobe — UMI
Mthuthu — Indumiso YabeNguni
Best R&B/Soul Album
Clxrity — It’s Clear To See
Filah Lah Lah — On Air
Mikhalé Jones — Too Many Promises
The Big Hash — Heartbreak Hotel (Deluxe)
Elaine — Stone Cold Heart
Best Dance Album
MÖRDA — Cr4zy!!
Dlala Thukzin — FINALLY FAMOUS TOO
Caiiro — Caiiro
Shimza — Dreaming
Black Motion — The Cradle Of Art
Best Amapiano Album
Zee Nxumalo — Inja Ye Game
Kelvin Momo — Sewe
Mellow & Sleazy — Midnight in Sunnyside 3
Vigro Deep — Your Piano Is Not My Piano
Kelvin Momo — Ntsako
Three-time nominee Kelvin Momo | SUPPLIED
Best Engineered Album
Jeremy Loops — Feathers & Stone
Keenan Meyer — Reawakening
Thandiswa Mazwai — Sankofa
Black Motion — The Cradle of Art
Sjava — Isibuko (Deluxe)
Best Collaboration
Matt Davies & Matthew Kyle Davies — Stay With Me
Black Motion & Thabo Roy Mabogwane — Takala
Kususa & Joshua Sihle Sokweba — Ematshwaleni
Mas Musiq, Lawd Weez & DJ Maphorisa ft TO Starquality — Mas Musiq
Kelvin Momo & Thatohatsi — Kelvin — Waze Wamuhle
Best Traditional Faith Music Album
Malusi Mbokazi — The Full Circle Revival
Betusile Mcinga — Uyingqaba Yam (Jehovah Nissi)
Rofhiwa Manyaga — Rofhiwa Dzina
Tebogo David Maponya — The Journey (Part 1)
Ayanda Ntanzi — According to Grace, A One Man Show
Best Reggae Album
Anela Jahmena — The Rise
LUWE DA LION — After All
Dread Lloyd — Mekwei
Dimahr — Flaws in Frame
Botanist Mr Lamington — Area Code
Rest of Africa Award
Fireboy DML — Adedamola
Wizkid — Morayo
Tems — Born In The Wild
Ayra Starr — The Year I Turned 21
Bensoul — The Party & After Party