Eastern Cape artists shine at Crown Gospel Awards 2015

The eighth instalment of the SABC Crown Gospel Music Awards, arguably the premier gospel awards in Africa were held at the Durban ICC Arena on Sunday, November 15, 2015. Founded by Zanele Mbokazi of World Gospel Powerhouse the awards theme for this year was “The New Order, The Manifestation, The Rebirth”.

The Eastern Cape dominated with more wins of the “big categories” namely the Best Female Gospel Artist which went to Lusanda Mcinga from Umtata; visibly shaken and surprised at her win she spoke how she was amazed at God’s goodness of blessing somebody from Umtata. Dumi Mkokstad from Kokstad as his name suggests, won the Best Song of the Year with “Safa Naye”. The biggest winner of the night was another artist from the Eastern Cape Andile kaMajola who won awards for Best Male Artist and Best Gospel Artist.

The awards have been plagued with controversy in the recent past with many voicing their disapproval at the absence of Sfiso Ncwane  and Lundi Tyamara, two of South Africa top selling gospel artists. Another issue that has been a challenge the organisers had to deal with is the fact that most of the awards in the past mainly went to KwaZulu-Natal artists which may be why this year saw an increase in artists from other provinces winning. The Tshwane Gospel Choir and Worship House from Thohoyandou were winners at this event.

Mahalia Buchanan walked away with the newcomer award. Buchanan recorded her first CD this year called Redeemed to Worship. A product of the much celebrated group Joyous Celebration she has been involved in many gospel projects not only in music. She is also a former host of One Gospel’s television programme Gospel Truth. Her mentors from Joyous Celebration Lindelani Mkize, Jabu Hlongwane and Mthunzi Namba also won awards in the Lifetime Achiever Category. Joyous Celebration was formed in 1994.

Gospel Classics won the award for best television gospel show. Another memorable win was The Best Producer which went to the legendary Benjamin Dube. Rebecca Malope’s song Moya Wami was voted the Best Classic of all Time by the public.

Here are the rest of the winners from this year’s SABC Crown Gospel Awards:

1. BEST GOSPEL RAP – BLAQUE (WATCHMAN)

2. BEST GOSPEL WORSHIP SONG – ROFHIWA MANYAGA –WORSHIP MEDLEY

3. BEST GOSPEL PRAISE SONG – WORSHIP HOUSE – (MORENA WAMARENA)

4. BEST GOSPEL CLASSIC OF ALL TIME – REBECCA MALOPE – (MOYA WAMI)

5. BEST GOSPEL NEWCOMER – MAHALIA BUCHANAN

6. BEST GOSPEL DVD – SPIRIT OF PRAISE VOL 5

7. BEST FEMALE GOSPEL ARTIST – LUSANDA MCINGA

8. BEST TRADITIONAL GOSPEL – BUTHO VUTHELA

9. BEST MALE GOSPEL ARTIST – ANDILE KAMAJOLA

10. BEST GOSPEL MUSIC VIDEO – MADUVHA

11. BEST GOSPEL CONTEMPORARY SONG – SPAX AND NEWLIGHT – (CROWNED WITH FAVOUR)

12. BEST GOSPEL JAZZ – THE JUSTINLEIGH BAND

13. BEST GOSPEL ACCAPELLA – TYGC FAMILY

14. BEST GOSPEL POP – JOLENE JOSEPH

15. BEST CHURCH CHOIR – 3C LIVE

16. BEST GOSPEL GROUP – TSHWANE GOSPEL CHOIR

17. BEST GOSPEL POETRY – NOKULUNGA DLADLA

18. BEST GOSPEL COLLABORATION – ROFHIWA MANYAGA ft MADUVHA – MUYA MUKHETHWA

19. BEST GOSPEL PRODUCER – WAYNE RENGASAMY – CHANNEL OF BLESSING (SHAUN P)

20. BEST GOSPEL SONG WRITER – THULANI GA NDLELA – UKHONA UMOYA OYINGCWELE

21. BEST GOSPEL R&B – AMBANI RAMARU

22. BEST GOSPEL ENGINEER – EMMANUEL MAMPONGORO (PASTOR LUNGI NDALA)

23. BEST GOSPEL COMEDY – CRYSTAL TYRON

24. BEST OF AFRICA GOSPEL – UCHE –NIGERIA

25. BEST GOSPEL AFRIKAANS – ESTI
26. BEST GOSPEL ALBUM – SHAUN P – CHANNEL OF BLESSING; BENJAMIN DUBE – SANCTIFIED IN HIS PRESENCE

27. BEST COMMUNITY OUTREACH (BY ARTIST) – BONGI & COLLINS

28. THE SALT AWARD – DR. ANDRE ROEBERT
29. LIFETIME ACHIEVER – FOUNDERS OF JOYOUS CELEBRATION: LINDELANI MKHIZE; MTHUNZI NAMBA; JABU HLONGWANE

VOTED CATEGORIES:

1. BEST GOSPEL ARTIST – ANDILE KA MAJOLA

2. BEST GOSPEL SONG – SAFA NAYE – DUMI MKOKSTADI

3. BEST AMAZIONI – JOYOUS OF GOD MASS CHOIR

4. BEST GOSPEL MASKANDI – UQHOSHANGOKWENZAKWAKHE SIBISI (NINGANGENZANI)

5. THAMI NTOMBELA – IMBOKODO FM (INJOBO ITHUNGELWA EBANDLA)

6. BEST GOSPEL TV SHOW – GOSPEL CLASSICS

Gateway News congratulates all the winners.