Gospel Musos Unhappy With Ukhozi FM’s Crossover Song Contest’s New Procedure
- It is reported that the Gospel fraternity is unhappy with Ukhozi FM's Ingoma Ehlukanisa Unyaka procedure for 2025
- The Durban station has switched things up this year, ensuring fairness and transparency for its hotly contested countdown
- However, some Gospel singers, including veteran Sipho Makhabane, feel as though the new rules do not benefit the Gospel music genre
Source: Facebook
It seems as though not everyone is happy with Ukhozi FM's new criteria for Ingoma Ehlukanisa Unyaka (Crossover song).
According to Daily Sun, Ukhozi FM has angered a few Gospel singers with its new changes to the hotly contested song competition.
Why the Gospel artists are bashing Ukhozi FM
The Gospel musicians allegedly stated that Ukhozi FM's crossover song contest does not give them a fair chance to win the coveted Song of the Year title.
For the last few years, Maskandi has dominated the contest. In 2024, Mthandeni's Gucci featuring MaWhoo ushered listeners into January 2025. He and his arch nemesis, Khuzani Mpungose, have always been contesting on and off the charts, with Umjolo Lowo taking the prize in 2023. Other stars such as Skweletu, Big Zulu and DJ Sbu, won the title in the last five years of the competition.
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Not to say that Gospel songs never made it into the top 10, but not a single song has ever won the title. With the new rules, the stars feel as though this further diminishes their chances.
Singer Andile kaMajola told the news publication that this is already a sensitive matter for them, but they still have questions about how the top 20 were chosen.
"We were not going to be hurt if it was the listeners who nominated their favourite song and excluded us. Now they are saying the songs were taken from the station's Top 20 show, and the challenge is that even in that Top 20, the gospel is not included, and they said the gospel has its specific show on Sunday. This is grossly unfair to us as gospel musicians and the broader community," he was quoted as saying.
Source: Facebook
Veteran singer Sipho 'Big Fish' Makhabane allegedly slammed the station and accused it of not taking the genre seriously.
"Now the criteria have changed by the station, and the station is giving the listeners what to choose, and the gospel is not included. What is that? That means the station doesn't take gospel music seriously," he said.
MaWhoo bags 4 Ukhozi FM nods
In a previous report from Briefly News, the talented and versatile South African Amapiano vocalist Mahwoo recently bagged 4 nominations at the Ukhozi FM's Song of the Year title.
Bengicela and Uzizwa Kanjani were part of the songs that were nominated. The star excitedly shared with her fans and followers how grateful she was to have bagged so many nominations. Bengicela, Uzizwa Kanjan, Tholukuthi and Amandla were the songs that got appointed for the Song of the Year title on Ukhozi FM. She encouraged fans to vote for her songs.
Source: Briefly News
