HARARE - Consultants hired by the re-launched Zimbabwe Music Awards (Zima) say categories for the gongs will be announced within a fortnight.
Michelle Fernandes, the events manager of the South African Music Awards (Sama) made the announcement after consultations with Harare-based musicians last week.
“Within the next two weeks we will release the final categories we would have come up with after consultations with musicians in Bulawayo,” said Fernandes.
“The Harare meeting was productive. We came to the meeting with information from our experiences with other awards.
“We have shared that knowledge with the local artistes and they have also shared with us their music genres.”
Fernandes, who was accompanied at the consultations by Olga Grigorova who produced the 2008 CAF Awards and the 33rd Loerie Awards, added that final categories of the awards would reflect the views of Zimbabwean musicians.
“The discussions will help us move forward.
“These awards belong to Zimbabwean musicians and because of that we cannot just introduce things they do not agree with.”
According to Fernandes, Zima, which is led by Joseph Nyadzayo, will introduce an entrance fee for next year’s awards.
“We will be introducing an entrance fee next year for administrative costs because it is expensive to run an awards ceremony like this.
“This year it is free to encourage the participation of artistes,” she said.
Artistes like Pauline Gundidza, Roki, The Charambas, Trevor Dongo, Taurai Mandebvu, and Clare Nyakujara attended the Harare meeting.
Pauline said the artistes should come up with categories that meet international standards.
“Right now we should be asking ourselves where our music falls under. We have to meet international standards because that is where we want to go.
“There are set standards and if we can follow those it will help us go international,” she said.
Zima, which is being brought back in partnership with Buy Zimbabwe, was re-launched last month after a seven year break.
There 16 proposed categories that are being considered by musicians include: Traditional Music, Best Instrumental, Best Choral Album, Best Collaboration (Singles), Best Hip Hop (Single/Album), Best Dancehall (Ragga/Reggae), Best Jazz Album, Best Gospel Album, Best Alternative (Single/Album), Best Single, Best Dance (DJ’s own original compilation), Best Music Video, Best Producer, Best Engineer, Best International Achiever and People’s Choice.