Frederick Philander
15 August 2008
Windhoek — Several changes in categories have been made in the presentation format of the 6th annual Sanlam NBC Music Awards, it was announced during a press conference this week.
Repetitiveness, monotony, alleged musically ill-equipped judges and the selection of an artist-of-the-year category in which the public had a say, will be discarded. Musicians will now be able to nominate themselves for artist of the year with the panel of judges holding the final decision.
This was confirmed by the organising committee during a press conference at the NBC television headquarters on Wednesday.
"As part of its social responsibility and unwavering quest to contribute to national development, Sanlam Namibia introduced the Music Awards in 2003 in conjunction with the NBC. We responded to calls from artists and music industry players for a platform to recognise brilliant music," said Peter Denk on behalf of the committee.
According to him more than N$1 million has over the years been ploughed into the national economy through this music effort.
"We are proud to state that our efforts have been rewarded by the positive developments in the music industry as well as personal growth of individual artists. We have met all the objectives that we set ourselves when this initiative was conceived," he said.
With the exception of two others, most categories will remain as is, but public participation through smss has been scrapped.
The main objective of the Music Awards was to encourage, reward and recognise local musicians for producing very creative and entertaining music.
"Since inception, more than 150 recognition awards and certificates have been given to musicians, producers and other stakeholders. Over N$350 000 has been given out as cash prizes to artists of which more than 750 have entered for the event," Denk said.
The second objective of the awards was to create a platform for established and up and coming musicians to perform and appeal to a wider audience.
"More than 50 artists have been given a platform to perform at the main event as well as a wider audience of the NBC TV viewers. Our third objective was to encourage and motivate the public to appreciate Namibian music and musicians. The ever increasing volumes of Namibian music played on our different radio and television stations, at parties and functions, in homes and our cars, is testimony that interest in local music has grown," he said proudly of the event he considers the mother of all entertainment.
In his view the awards have fundamentally changed the Namibian music landscape for the better.
"We have seen growth in the industry in terms of new artists joining the industry, in terms of incomes generated from the industry and in terms of job opportunities and other support services in the industry. We are encouraging musicians to enter in great numbers this year and we look forward to a bigger, better, more glamorous and more extravagant show on the African continent on 28 November," he said.
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