PRAISE singer Musawenkosi Nqobile Duma, who praised President Cyril Ramaphosa during the State of the Nation Address (Sona) in February 2023, hopes to scoop a big award.
The 28-year-old praise singer from Mzimkhulu, KZN, is nominated at the South African Traditional Music Awards (Satma) for his debut album, titled Izibongo za Mawengane.
He is competing against Lizo Ndobe, Ndebele Alpha, and Mulalo The Poet under the Praise Singer category in the awards that will be held at DCC Dome in Durban on Friday, 15 December.
Musawenkosi, who is better known as Inqanawe Yangempela, was nominated in the 2022 Satmas under Best Indigenous Poet, but he didn't win.
He told Daily Sun that he believes that God has given him a second chance after he lost in 2022.
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"I believe that this year God has planned that I will win it. I already have the spirit that I've scooped it, but I asked people to vote for me. If I win it, I'm planning to give back to the community by nurturing other praise singers because I've noticed that many praise singers are now imitating me," he said.
Musawenkosi thanked Ukhozi FM radio drama writer Mtomuhle Mcambi, who discovered him while doing his poems in the trains in 2019.
"Mcambi referred me to the late Ukhozi FM presenter Bongani Mavuso, who had a poetry slot with Dudu Khoza on the mid-morning show. When I performed my poem titled Gabi Gabi Dlozi Lami live on air, many people were impressed, and many doors opened for me," he said.
He also recorded praises for Ukhozi FM presenter Tshatha Ngobe when he scooped the Favourite Radio Personality awards at the DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards in 2020, and Tshatha kept playing those praises on air during his shows.
Musawenkosi released a 20-poem album titled Izibongo za Mawengane in January 2023, and the album paved the way for him to usher and praise Ramaphosa during the 2023 Sona in February.
"At the moment, I'm not at the level I want to be, but I'm going there," he said.
