Thandiswa Mazwai’s Sankofa wins four awards at 2025 SAMAs, including Female Artist of the Year.
Bulelwa Hoala
South African musician Thandiswa Mazwai is celebrating after winning four major awards at the 31st annual South African Music Awards (SAMAs) on Sunday, 14 December 2025.
The award-winning singer’s fourth studio album, Sankofa, won in four categories: Female Artist of the Year, Best African Contemporary Album, Best Produced Album and Best Engineered Album, missing out on only one of the five categories in which it was nominated.
“The year of Sankofa!!!!
We won!“Big love to my support system (my partner and my daughter) Thank you to the rest of my family for always being there for me,” Thandiswa wrote on social media.
“Big love to all the musicians who played on this album. Musicians in the States , in Dakar and in South Africa. To the radio stations and festivals who have consistently shown support. THANK YOU,” she added.
Mazwai released Sankofa (a word meaning ‘to go back and fetch what has been left behind’ in Ghanian Twi) on 10 May 2024, eight years after dropping her third studio album Belede in 2016.
According to her official website, the album was recorded in Johannesburg, Dakar, and New York.
It also features collaborations with the likes of fellow musicians Meshell Ndegeocello, Chris Bruce, Nduduzo Makhathini, Thandi Ntuli, and Tendai Shoko.
The album is a fusion of archival Xhosa samples sourced from the International Library of African Music at Rhodes University, jazz, and West African music.
Hosted by TV presenter Siyabonga Ngwekazi and media personality Pamela Mtanga, the awards ceremony, sponsored by the Motsepe Foundation, took place at the Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg.
See the full list of SAMA31 winners, as shared by SlikourOnLife, below:
- The Rest of Africa Award: Ayra Starr – The Year I Turned 21
- Best Contemporary Faith Music Album: Takie Ndou
- Best African Indigenous Faith Music Album: JTG Gospel Choir – Morena re ya Leboga
- Remix of the Year: Mpho.Wav – Hlala
- Female Artist of the Year: Thandiswa Mazwai – Sankofa
- Best African Adult Contemporary Album: Thandiswa Mazwai – Sankofa
- Best Engineered Album: Sankofa
- Best Produced Album: Sankofa
- Best Contemporary Music Album: Spitwolf – Final Destination
- Best Traditional Faith Music Album: Ayanda Ntanzi – According to Grace, A One Man Show
- Best Produced Music Video: Shekhinah ft Moliey – Risk
- Best Rock Album: MaxX & Love – These Blues Might Get You Too
- Best Reggae Album: Luwe Da Lion – After All
- Record of the Year: Mthandeni SK ft MaWhoo – Gucci
- Music Video of the Year: Mthandeni SK ft MaWhoo – Gucci
- Album of the Year: Goldmax – Play at Your Own Risk
- Male Artist of the Year: Goldmax – Play at Your Own Risk
- Best Gqom Album: Goldmax – Play at Your Own Risk
- Duo/Group of the Year: Black Motion – Takala!
- Best Collaboration: Black Motion – Takala ft Afrikan Roots, DJ Buckz & Morda
- Best R&B/Soul Album: Elaine – Stone Cold Heart
- Best Jazz Album: Peter Auret – Hope Dies Last
- Most Streamed Song of the Year: Bassie – Kwelanga 2.0 ft M Touch, Ranger, Amaza, Tman Xpress, LeeMcKrazy & Zimmy
- Best Classical/Instrumental Album: Ballaké Sissoko & Derek Gripper
- Highest Airplay Composer: Kabza de Small – Isimo
- Best Dance Album: Dlala Thukzin – Finally Famous Too
- Newcomer of the Year: Nontokozo Mkhize – Lindiwe
- Best Maskandi Album: Khuzani – Angidlali Nezingane
- Best Alternative Album: Francis Soal – Hindsight 2020
- Best Afro Pop Album: Sjava – Isibuko (Deluxe)
- Best Traditional Music Album: Makhadzi Entertainment – Miracle Child (Deluxe)
- Best Adult Contemporary Album: Melanie Scholtz – Seven
- Best Hip Hop Album: 25K – Loyal to the Plug: The Life & Times of Don Kilograms
- Best Amapiano Album: Kelvin Momo – Ntsako
READ NEXT: ‘Everything happened so fast’: Natasha Thahane mourns the loss of two loved ones
The post ‘We did it!’ – Thandiswa Mazwai’s Sankofa wins big at the SAMAs appeared first on KAYA 959.
