Chris Theko
Lesotho musical genius will once again be admired and given the necessary kudos of honour in yet another new feat of recognition in the newly unveiled and soon-to-be-annual Sky Music Awards (SkyMAs) powered by the country’s first ever digital online radio Sky Alpha HD.
The first edition of this glittering recognition awards, which was unveiled in Maseru will be held at the National Manthabiseng Convention Centre on March 25, 2023 in what is expected to be Lesotho musical talent’s most exhilarating party if the unveiling event is anything to go by.
Speaking at the unveiling event, Sky Alpha HD Radio founder Tello ‘Dallas T’ Leballo, who is also SKYMAS Founding Director, said the SKYMAs are aimed at recognizing, appreciating, acknowledging and awarding outstanding musicians.
“The concept is mainly aimed at taking Lesotho to the world because we have realized that as a country, we do not sell our talent to the world in a profitable manner for this creative.
“Though it is an initiative by Sky Alpha HD, it does not belong only to us as a radio station but a Basotho initiative so let’s come together and take Lesotho to the world,†said Leballo, who is also a former radio host the state-owned Ultimate Radio with experience as an awards organizer having led a team that pioneered the Ultimate Music Awards (UMAs) which ran from 2014 all the way to 2017.
Meanwhile, for his part, Station Director Kabelo Mollo, pleaded with the business community to join the SKYMAs as partners in order to make it an even better success for the benefit of the creatives.
“I would like to issue a challenge to the corporates and the businesses in the country and say, each one of you take at least one category and partner with Sky Alpha HD to make sure that these artists reap the rewards for their hard work.
“If we can sponsor each category with say, M50 000, imagine how much that amount can change the scope; it changes what they can do. So we are saying to the corporates please let’s partner,†he challenged them.
Registration for the awards will open from the first day of September to the first day of December 2022. Submission shall be delivered at the Sky Alpha HD residence and Cuban Linx (Maseru and Hlotse) or online at skyma@skyalphahd.com.
After submissions have been closed, a host of SkyMAs selection Committee will be tasked with the selection of the finalists to be submitted an SMS Company where codes will be provided for each nominee in order for votes to be made.
“The SkyMAs Selection Committee is an independent body which comprises of industry experts in the music and arts fraternity. During the registration process, each artist will be expected to provide a clean edit, of not more than 4 minutes, with a short biography and contact details,†Leballo said.
SkyMAs will comprise of 12 categories for the awards which include Best Compilation Project, Best Urban Contemporary Project, Best Hip Hop Act, Best Traditional Project, Best DJ, Best Afro Pop Project, Best Gospel Project, Best Newcomer, Best Music Video, Best Digital Hustler and Song of The year.
There will also be the category for Lifetime Achiever Award which will not be voted for like the aforementioned categories.
“Because Lifetime Achiever is a special award, the Selection Committee, working in consideration views from the general public through social media interaction and radio votes, shall in the end deliberate the most deserving recipient,†Leballo said.
After all is said and done, the decision of the Lifetime Achiever recipient purely lies with the committee to nominate an annual recipient.
The main event will be hosted in a form of a red carpet for nominees, white carpet for VIPs and black carpet for general attendants.
