Limpopo Music Award (Lima) 2019 kicks off with a prestigious list of nominees. The nominees for this year’s Limpopo Music Awards reflect a mosaic of talent, influences and persuasions. The prestigious list features musicians with Limpopo roots, some of whom have gone on to achieve national stardom and international acclaim.

International house music producer and DJ, Darque with five nominations; Best Dance/House Single; Best Duo/Group/Collaboration; Best Male Artist; Best Male DJ; Best Music Video; Best Producer and Song of the year. At four nominations, Sho Madjozi stands as one of the four most nodded stars, the others are King Monada and Candy Tsa Mandebele. Sho Madjozi is in the running for Best Female Artist; Best Music Video; Best Styled Artist and Song of the Year for her hit Huku. King Monada also took home four nominations in – Song of the Year; Best Male Artist; Best Music Video all for Malwedhe while his single Skorokoro earned him Best Khilobedu Single. Candy Tsa Mandebele emerged in the Best Female Artist; Best Music Video; Best Styled Artist; Song of the Year categories for Nathinga.

Gospel is well represented with Lungi Ndala and Winnie Mashaba nominated in two categories apiece. Lungi competes in Best Contemporary Gospel Album and Best Live DVD for Turning Around; while Winnie bagged Best Female Artist and Best Traditional Gospel Single for Re Bone Mohlolo. Pleasure got two nods for Best Female Artist and Best Manyalo for Baswabile. Looking at the two most-watched categories, the Best Female Artist award is hotly contested between Sho Madjozi for Huku; Candy Tsa Mandebele for Nathinga; Pleasure for Ba Swabile; WinnieMashaba for Nthapelele; and Newi for U Mudzimu E Ethe. The same can be said in the Best Male Artist category with King Monada for Malwedhe; Benny Mayengani for Ni Happy; Joe Shirimani for Tsutsumani; Darque featuring Les Top for Let You Go; and Henny C for Cinca Murhandziwa going head to head. The Song of the Year will be contested by King Monada for Malwedhe; Sho Madjozi for Huku; Benny Mayengani for Ni Happy; Candy Tsa Mandebele for Nathinga; Joe Shirimani for Tsutsumani; Darque featuring Les Top for Let You Down; and Henny C for Cinca Murandziwa.

Other categories are Best Newcomer that will see promising talent such as Peazfade, Mac J, Xisomisani, Daniel Marven and Cedric Tsonga Boy slug it out. Now in their third year, the awards continue to show resilience and support for local talent worthy of being noticed.

Partners this year include the Limpopo department of sport, arts and culture; Limpopo Tourism Agency; SMME’s based in Limpopo Province.

CEO of the Lima Molato Phakwago congratulated the nominees. “We are proud of this year’s nominees.

They are the cream of the crop. LIMAs remain committed to the cause of celebrating, nurturing and uplifting Limpopo talent.

We look forward to the finale next month where we promise an extravaganza of night.”