SUPERSTAR Oliver Mtukudzi is in line to pick up a gong at the South African Music Awards (SAMAs) after his latest album, Dairai, was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album: African.

The nominees were announced at a glitzy ceremony at Taboo in Sandton last Thursday.

Dairai is nominated along with Siki (Five Cents) by Candy, Unchained by Joe Nina and Ke Mosadi by KB.

Mtukudzi has scheduled a performance in London with South Africa's Ringo Madlingozi and Congolese rhumba star Awilo Longomba on April 2.

Kwaito kingpins Big Nuz are in line for the two most coveted prizes – Song of the Year and Album of the Year for Umlilo and Undisputed respectively.

They are also nominated in the Duo or Group of the Year and Best Kwaito Album.

Ironically, the song that could give Big Nuz the Song of the Year gong, Umlilo, was composed on a motorway as the group drove away from last year’s SAMAs after their blockbuster track, Ubala, was snubbed for an award.

Big Nuz’s Mzi 'Danger' Tshomela revealed: “We were all deflated and we just stopped by the side of the road and we started composing … we all felt a fire burning inside, we thought we deserved something last year.”

Big Nuz are signed to Kalawa Jazmee and produced by Sfiso Mjoli, aka Fisherman.

Because the Song of the Year is voted for by the public, the category has been difficult to predict.

Big Nuz are up against Oskido’s I Believe, Change the World by Master Jam (w/ RJ Benjamin), Consider Me by Prime Circle, Fairytale by Liquideep, Fort Knox by Goldfish, Free by Thembi Seete, Good Music by DJ Cleo, Heartbreak Street by Jesse Clegg, Ingoma by Thandiswa featuring Hugh Masekela, Juju by Black Coffee featuring Zakes Bantwini, Lesson Number 1 by Rhythmic Elements, Live My Life by Winnie Khumalo, Loyiso’s Maybe, Malaika’s Mmatswale, Mpitse by HHP, Nka Mo Dira by Nutty Nys (w/ Abe Molamu), Nomalanga Mntakwethu by Zuluboy, Push me to the Floor by The Parlotones and We Baba by Culoe De Song featuring vocals by Busi Mhlongo.

OLIVER MTUKUDZI 7 RINGO MADLINGOZI: INTO YAM

16th MTN South African Music Awards Nominees

Big Nuz for Undisputed
BLK JKS for the album After Robots
Busi Mhlongo for Amakholwa Believers
Selaelo Selota for Lapeng Laka
Teargas for Dark Or Blue

AKING for Against All Odds
Big Nuz for the album Undisputed
Jaziel Brothers for The Journey
Joyous Celebration for Volume 13 Live At The Mosaiek Theatre, Johannesburg
Teargas for Dark Or Blue

Busi Mhlongo for Amakholwa Believers
Camagwini for Emandulo
Lira for Live In Concert: A Celebration
Louise Carver for The Home Tour – Live
Thandiswa Mazwai for Ibokwe

Benjamin Dube for 16 June Commemoration Live
Black Coffee for Home Brewed
Chris Chameleon for Kyk Hoe Lyk Ons Nou
Ntando for Inqubela
Selaelo Selota for Lapeng Laka

Culoe de Song for A Giant Leap
Kyle Shepherd for Fine ART
Solly Mahlangu for the album Obrigado
The South African Youth Choir for the album Birth of the Sun
Tshepo Mngoma for People And Places

Change the World – Master Jam (w/ RJ Benjamin)
Consider Me – Prime Circle
Fairytale - Liquideep
Fort Knox - Goldfish
Free - Thembi Seete
Good Music - DJ Cleo
Heartbreak Street – Jesse Clegg
I Believe – Oskido
Ingoma - Thandiswa featuring Hugh Masekela
Juju – Black Coffee featuring Zakes Bantwini
Lesson Number 1 – Rhythmic Elements
Live my Life – Winnie Khumalo
Maybe - Loyiso
Mmatswale- Malaika
Mpitse - HHP
Nka Mo Dira – Nutty Nys (w/ Abe Molamu)
Nomalanga Mntakwethu – Zuluboy
Push me to the Floor - The Parlotones
Umlilo - Big Nuz featuring Tira
We Baba - Culoe De Song featuring Busi Mhlongo

Best Adult Contemporary Album: English

Blk Sonshine - Good Life
Dear Reader - Replace Why With Funny
Farryl Purkiss - Fruitbats & Crows
Laurie Levine - Living Room
Louise Carver - The Home Tour: Live

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

Kevin Knott - Worthy
Proxy - The Call
Rivers Live - Love Never Fails
Scintillate - Sleeper
The Plain Truth - Only One God

Best Kiddies Album: English

Gcina Mhlophe - Songs And Stories Of Africa
Graeme Sacks & Erika Strydom - Goggatjie Childrens Songs CD
Relebogile Mabotja & Erika Strydom - Stories From The Alphabet Tree Volume 1

Best Rock Album: English

aKING - Against All Odds
Cassette - Who Do You Trust
New Holland - Exploded Views
The Parlotones - Stardust Galaxies
Voodoo Child - Attack. Don’t Panic

Best Alternative Music Album: English

BLK JKS - After Robots
Hog Hoggidy Hog - Method To The Madness
Martin Rocka And The Sickshop - Its A Filthy Song But Someones Got To Sing It
Mix N Blend - Look Mom No Hands
The Black Hotels - Films For The Next Century

Best Pop Album: English

Axene – 16
Jerusha – Jerushalem
La Vuvuzela – In Stereo
NKD – NKD
Sasha-Lee – Sasha-Lee

Best Global Chart DVD

Dozi & Nianell - It Takes Two - Live At The Silverstar Casino
Lira - Live In Concert: A Celebration
Prime Circle - All Or Nothing Live
The Plain Truth - Only One God

JAZZ  AND CLASSICAL

Best Popular Classical Album

Daniel Rowland And Stellenbosch University Camerata - Vivaldi / Piazzolla Seasons
James Grace - Sevilla Music Of Spain II
Sterling Electric Quartet - Nova
The South African Youth Choir – Birth Of The Sun
TwoPianists - Brahms, Lutoslawski, Arensky & Copland

Best Instrumental Album

Carol Thorns - Fireflies In The Rain
CH2 - Orange Guitar
Guy Buttery - Fox Hill Lane
Kidofdoom - My Faith In War
Steve Newman – Flavour

Best Traditional Jazz Album

Anna Davel - Linger Longer
Brian Thusi - Nomakunjalo
Kyle Shepherd - FineART
Tutu Puoane - Quiet Now
Jazzing & Jiving – The Cape Town Sessions

Best Contemporary Jazz Album

Adam Glasser - Free At First
Fundile Mdingi - Borrowed Gift
Ivan Mazuze - Maganda
Tammy - Just Jazz
Tshepo Mngoma - People And Places

Best Jazz/Instrumental/Popular Classical DVD

Kristel Birkholtz - The Sea In Spring
Ses Snare - Ses Snare Live @ The Performer Theatre
Wouter Kellerman - Colour Live In Concert

TECHNICAL & VIDEO

Best Music Video of the Year

Nicky Campos for Juju by Black Coffee Ft Zakes Bantwini
Morgan Dingle for Who Do You Trust by Cassette
Nick Roux for Gotta Keep It Going by Jozi
Brandon Oelofse for Double Cross by Psyfo
Francis Gavin & Jolyon Ellis for Push Me To The Floor  by The Parlotones

Best Producer

Theo Crous for Kyk Hoe Lyk Ons Nou by Chris Chameleon
Brian O’Shea for Fruitbats & Crows by Farryl Purkiss
HHP & Steve Raphadu for Dumela by HHP
Mix n Blend for Look Mom No Hands by Mix N Blend
James Bassingthwaighte & Jaydine Baron for Love That Music by Timothy Moloi

Best Engineer

Johan van Schalkwyk & Crighton Goodwill  for Stripped Down Soul’d Out by Garth Taylor
Ishmael Morabe & DJ Swami for On The Edge by Ishmael
Marius Brouwer  for On The Run by Jason Hartman
Howard Butcher  for Flavour by  Steve Newman
Robin Walsh  for Love That Music  by Timothy Moloi

Remix Of The Year

DJ Nutty Nys for K’zogo K’zogozogo (Summer Anthem) – Nutty Nys Remix by Deep Level
Protoculture  for Cruising Through - Protoculture Mix by Goldfish
Black Coffee for This Is How It Goes - Black Coffee Remix by  Goldfish
Bongani Fassie Partytime by Jozi
DJ Hypnosis  for 2 By 2 by Rhythmic Elements

Best Album Packaging

Merwe Marchand le Roux for Against All Odds by aKING
Craig Wells for Who Do You Trust by Cassette
Heath Dyer for Live In Concert: A Celebration CD by Lira
Caroline Hillary for Ibokwe by Thandiswa Mazwai
Matt Edwards for Whole Worlds by Tumi

Best South Sotho Music (SeSotho) Album

Koete - Tharisa Ea Matsoapo No.4
Letsoalo - Letabohile Letsoalo
Masweti - Masweti No.2 Re Kopa Khotso
Motsotuoa Mosenene - Lipabala Tsa Quthing No.4
Tau Ea Matsekha - Matsekha Grooves

Best Tsonga Music (XiTsonga) Album

Connie Chauke - Magevenga
George Maluleke - Siku Ramakumu
Hammy Chauke – Niwisisi
Mapfohlosela - Mr Hummer
Thomas Chauke - Shimatsatsa No 29

Best Venda Music (TshiVenda) Album

Ntshengedzeni Maligana – Mathada Vol. 2
Tshigomboza - Toduluso
Zozo & Sangere Superbeat - Mukovhe

Best Mbhaqanga Album

Abafana BakaMolo - Intombi Yegenge
Impumelelo - Isikweletu
Mthoko - Thambo Lami Leqolo
Oflende - Pajero
Umashwabana - Ithemba Lami

Best Maskandi Album

Izingane Zoma – Obama
Phuzekhemisi - Izindaba Zakho
Shabalala Rhythm - Isikweletu
Thokozani Langa - Inganekwane
Umgqumeni – I SMS

Best Traditional A Capella Album

African Cream Freedom Choir - Freedom Songs
King Star Brothers - Abanini Bemizi
Ladysmith Abafana Bezamanani - Ngane Yami
Thulani Shabalala Izimpande - Unity Is The Power
Usuthu - Halala 2010

Best Adult Contemporary Album: African

Bhudaza - Likhomo
Busi Mhlongo - Amakholwa Believers
Camagwini - Emandulo
Selaelo Selota - Lapeng Laka
Thandiswa Mazwai - Ibokwe

Best African Contemporary Gospel Album

Benjamin Dube - 16 June Commemoration Live
Jay - Worship Unlimited Vol. 1
Joyous Celebration - Vol. 13 Live At The Mosaiek Theatre, JHB
Solly Mahlangu - Obrigado
Spirit of Praise - Spirit Of Praise Vol 2

Best African Traditional Gospel Album

Hlengiwe Mhlaba - Hlala Kuye
Sechaba - Mangihamba Nawe
Sipho Makhabane - Ebenezer
Winnie Mashaba - Joang Kapa Joang
Worship House - Ikhaya Lami

Best Traditional African A Capella Gospel Album

Abalindi - Nguwe Nguwe
Amadodana Ase Postile - Ngihole Jehovah
Amadodana Ase Wesile - Jesu Wena Ungu Mhlobo
In Zion Of Julesburg Apostolic Faith Assembly In Zion - Se Ndzi Dyohile (Forgive Us Lord)
Thina Zion 1 - Phuthumani

Best Alternative Music Album: African

Candy - Siki (Five Cents)
Joe Nina - Unchained
KB - Ke Mosadi
Oliver Mtukudzi – Dairai

Best Traditional/African Adult Contemporary African DVD

Benjamin Dube - 16 June Commemoration Live
Joyous Celebration - Vol. 13 : Live At The Mosaiek Theatre, JHB
Solly Mahlangu - Obrigado
Spirit Of Praise – Spirit of Praise Vol 2
Worship House - Ikhaya Lami

URBAN

Best Urban Gospel Album

Bongi & Collin - Makadunyiswe
Charisma - My Journey
Keke - In The Holy Of Holies
Kgotso - In The Beginning
Neville D - Songs Of Deliverance

Best Pop Album: African

Deborah - Uthando
Jaziel Brothers - The Journey
Maduvha - Africa
Malaika - Mmatswale
Ntando - Inqubela

Best Urban Pop Album

DJ Sox - House Party
Jozi - Wild Life
Kwela Tebza - Made In South Africa
Mxo - Sounds In Motion
Urban Reign - When It Rains It Pours

Best Urban Dance Album

Black Coffee - Home Brewed
Culoe De Song - A Giant Leap
DJ Cleo – Es’khaleni 6
Liquideep - Oscillation
Oskido – Oskido’s Church Grooves 8 & 9th Commandment

Best R&B/Neo-Soul Album

Brian Temba - Something Better
Byron Clarke - Self Inflicted
Ishmael - On The Edge
Mario Ogle – Can’t Stop Loving You
Nash Reed - Mercurial

Best Rap Album

HHP - Dumela
JR - Colourfull
Khuli Chana - The MotswakOriginator
Teargas - Dark Or Blue
Tumi - Whole Worlds

Best Kwaito Album

Big Nuz - Undisputed
Mzambiya - Still I Rise
Spikiri - Taking A Walk On The Wild Side
TKZee - Coming Home
Zola - Impepho