Kampala — New R&B sensational duo Toniks have taken the word 'breakthrough' to a whole new level.

For their debut hit Beera Nange, the pair has not only won this year's Pam Awards Best R&B Single award but has also been nominated in the Kisimas 2008 Awards as well as getting a nod in the first ever MTV Africa Music Awards (Mamas) with Zain.

Toniks are in the category of the Mamas Listener's Choice Award for the song Beera Nange. The category was created to celebrate the tracks and artists who triumphed on the radio airwaves in 2007/8 even though their videos haven't made it to the MTV channels.

Radio listeners choose the nominees for the Listener's Choice awards across Africa. Toniks face competition from South Africa's Jax Panik for Cigarettes And Cinnamon, Nigeria's D'Banj (Why Me), Naakaya from Tanzania (Mr. Politician), JB Mpiana of DRC (Zadio Kongolo) and Kenyan P Unit Ft.

DNA for Una plus Ofori Amponsah Ft. Samini from Ghana for their duet Odwo. "It's a good opportunity for me because as an artiste I want to go international and I take this as a breakthrough," said Allan one of the Toniks. "It's not an everyday thing that you get nominated in big awards like MTV awards so when you're pitted against big names like D'Banj who are among Africa's best, you ought to take it a honour."

To vote for your favourite Listener's Choice artist, or artists in other award categories, go to the official Mama website at mama.mtvbase.com. Look at the small icons running down on the far left-hand side of the MTV Mama website if you want to vote and better do it soon because voting closes on November 18.

"My chances of winning are 50-50 because Ugandans don't vote so much yet to win in this category you need a lot of votes especially when you're against artistes from countries with big populations like South Africa and Nigeria," said Allan.

"The Listener's Choice award adds a fascinating dimension to the MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain, by focusing as much on the song as on the artist," said Alex Okosi, who is the Senior Vice President & Managing Director for MTV Networks Africa, "This opens up the scope of the awards to brilliant emerging artistes such as Naakaya, Jax Panik and Toniks, and puts them in the running alongside established heavyweights like D'Banj."

Listeners of KFM and Sanyu FM in Uganda chose nominees for the Listener's Choice Award while radios in DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa held their respective competitions.

The winner of the Listener's Choice Award will be announced in Abuja, Nigeria on the night of the Mamas come November 22.