Sun City - The first awards have been handed out at the 18th annual MTN South African Music Awards awards, focusing on technical excellence and sales, which served as a curtain-raiser to the main ceremony.
The main ceremony will take place on Monday night at Sun City.
Local musical icons Ray Phiri and Vusi Mahlasela were presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards for their invaluable service and contribution to South African music.
Zahara
Johan van der Colff scooped the MTN SAMA for Best Engineer for SA music sensation Zahara's album Loliwe. Zahara's track Loliwe was also named Best-Selling Full Track Download of the Year, having been legally downloaded 32 441 times during 2011.
House and kwaito producer DJ Cleo notched up two trophies for his smash hit single Facebook, winning the category for Best-Selling True-Tone Download of the Year (having sold 3 520 downloads) and Best-Selling Ring-Back Tone of the Year (with a phenomenal 252 184 downloads).
The winners of the MTN Best-Selling Mobile Music Download of the Year and Best-Selling Album of the Year will be revealed at Monday night's main event.
Ryan Peimer, director of The Parlotones' It's Magic music video, won the MTN SAMA for Best Video of the Year and Dan Roberts was named Best Producer for his work on Laurie Levin’s album Six Winters.
DJ Sbu won a SAMA for Remix of the Year for Lengoma, featuring Zahara.
The Best Live DVD award went to Simphiwe Dana for An Evening with Simphiwe Dana (Live in Concert).
The Award for the SAMPAR Most Played Song on South African Radio in 2011 went to Liquideep for their soulful house anthem Alone.
The second night of the SAMA awards will be broadcast live from the Superbowl at 20:30 on SABC1.
The main ceremony will take place on Monday night at Sun City.
Local musical icons Ray Phiri and Vusi Mahlasela were presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards for their invaluable service and contribution to South African music.
Zahara
Johan van der Colff scooped the MTN SAMA for Best Engineer for SA music sensation Zahara's album Loliwe. Zahara's track Loliwe was also named Best-Selling Full Track Download of the Year, having been legally downloaded 32 441 times during 2011.
House and kwaito producer DJ Cleo notched up two trophies for his smash hit single Facebook, winning the category for Best-Selling True-Tone Download of the Year (having sold 3 520 downloads) and Best-Selling Ring-Back Tone of the Year (with a phenomenal 252 184 downloads).
The winners of the MTN Best-Selling Mobile Music Download of the Year and Best-Selling Album of the Year will be revealed at Monday night's main event.
Ryan Peimer, director of The Parlotones' It's Magic music video, won the MTN SAMA for Best Video of the Year and Dan Roberts was named Best Producer for his work on Laurie Levin’s album Six Winters.
DJ Sbu won a SAMA for Remix of the Year for Lengoma, featuring Zahara.
The Best Live DVD award went to Simphiwe Dana for An Evening with Simphiwe Dana (Live in Concert).
The Award for the SAMPAR Most Played Song on South African Radio in 2011 went to Liquideep for their soulful house anthem Alone.
The second night of the SAMA awards will be broadcast live from the Superbowl at 20:30 on SABC1.