SAMA32 Best Amapiano Album features stacked category

"The Best Amapiano Album category is a celebration of innovation, creativity and musical excellence," said SAMA32 spokesperson Unathi Gwija. 

 "These artists have each contributed significantly to the global success of amapiano while remaining proudly rooted in South African culture." 

 Those words perfectly capture one of the toughest categories at this year's South African Music Awards (Samas), where some of the genre's biggest names are competing for top honours.

 The Best Amapiano Album category features Babalwa M with “Acquiesce”, Kabza De Small with “Bab'Motha”, De Mthuda with “Mthuthuzeli” and Kelvin Momo, who earns an impressive double nomination for “Thato Ya Modimo” and “N'wana Wa Mutsonga”. 

Babalwa M enters the race with “Acquiesce”, an album that marked a new chapter in her career. Built around the sound of private school amapiano, the project blends soulful production with honest storytelling.

It quickly climbed to number one on the Apple Music charts in South Africa and surpassed 40 million streams within months of its release.

Reflecting on the project, she described it as "the quiet art of yielding without losing your power," explaining that the music became a space to express emotions that had remained unspoken during a period of personal reflection.

Kabza De Small returns with “Bab'Motha”, an album that moves beyond dance floor anthems and explores a more reflective side of his artistry. The title pays tribute to leadership, wisdom and the spiritual guidance that continues to shape both his life and music.

The project also bridges traditional amapiano with the growing 3-Step movement, creating a sound that respects the genre's roots while embracing its future.

"I think what makes ‘Bab'Motha’ special is the honesty. I didn't create it to chase hits," he said.

Released on Mandela Day, the album also carried a symbolic message of giving back while expanding the storytelling possibilities within South African dance music.

De Mthuda is nominated for “Mthuthuzeli”, a project that stays true to the producer's signature blend of soulful amapiano, deep house, jazz influences and kwaito-inspired rhythms.

The album made an immediate impact, debuting at number one on Apple Music's Top Albums chart while collecting more than 270 000 Spotify streams in South Africa within its first 24 hours.

Kelvin Momo makes history with two nominations in the same category through “Thato Ya Modimo” and “N'wana Wa Mutsonga”.

Both albums enjoyed commercial success while reinforcing his position as one of amapiano's leading producers.

Rooted in childhood

“Thato Ya Modimo”, which translates to “The Will of God", represented a personal rebirth for the producer. Named after his birth name and inspired by a phrase often used by his mother and grandmother, the project reflects a return to his roots.

"So ‘Thato Ya Modimo’ is a name from home. And also Thato is a rebirth of me from private school. It's just a continuation of the sound I haven't forgotten," he explained.

The album broke records by collecting more than 1.8 million Spotify streams within its first day and reached number eight on Spotify's Top Global Albums chart.

He followed it with “N'wana Wa Mutsonga”, another project built around his signature blend of deep house textures, jazz chords and emotional melodies.

It debuted at number one on the South African Apple Music chart and surpassed 10 million Spotify streams by January 2026.

Gwija said that this year's nominees reflect how far amapiano has come.

"The Best Amapiano Album category is a celebration of innovation, creativity and musical excellence. These artists have each contributed significantly to the global success of Amapiano while remaining proudly rooted in South African culture. To be recognised among the nominees is already a remarkable achievement."

She added that the SAMA32 ‘Homecoming Edition’ is about more than handing out trophies.

"It is about celebrating the journey of South African music and cementing the North West Province as a premier music destination."

The 32nd South African Music Awards will take place on Saturday, August 15, at the Sun City Superbowl in the North West. Tickets are available through Ticketpro.