Zee Nxumalo’s ‘Ngisakuthanda’ Earns 2 SAMA Nominations for Record and Video of the Year
- Zee Nxumalo scored double nominations at the 32nd South African Music Awards for her hit single Ngisakuthanda
- The Amapiano anthem featuring TBO has racked up over 166 million global streams since its September 2024 release
- Briefly News got exclusive insight into Zee Nxumalo's impressive run after she was named South Africa's most-streamed female artist of 2025
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Zee Nxumalo is having a moment that few South African artists can claim. Her Amapiano smash Ngisakuthanda, featuring TBO, has landed two nominations at the 32nd South African Music Awards, competing in both the Record of the Year and Music Video of the Year categories.
Released in September 2024 through her label and artist services partner Platoon, the song is built around themes of love, vulnerability, and forgiveness. Its emotional honesty struck a chord with listeners almost immediately, setting off a wave of engagement across radio, streaming, and social media that has barely slowed down since.
Ngisakuthanda reaches new heights
The scale of the song's reach is staggering. Briefly News received exclusive insight into the song's success, having clocked over 166 million global streams and generated more than 518,000 creations on TikTok alone. On radio, it peaked at number one on the Radiomonitor Top 100 chart, achieved the highest reach across all radio stations for two consecutive weeks, and has held its position on the chart for 44 weeks and counting.
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The visuals have carried equal weight. The official music video has surpassed 65 million views, while the short film adaptation released in November 2025, which expands the song's themes into a coming-of-age story about first love and heartbreak, has drawn over 881,000 views. Together, they have turned a hit single into something closer to a cultural moment.
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Zee Nxumalo's wider rise
The SAMA nominations arrive during what has already been a remarkable stretch for the 30 Under 30 Forbes Africa honouree. Spotify named her South Africa's most-streamed female artist of 2025, a title that puts her commercial dominance firmly on record. She has also been named one of GLAMOUR South Africa's Women of the Year, appeared on the magazine's December/ January 2026 cover, and featured on the GQ South Africa June/ July 2026 Music and Creativity Issue double cover.
Few South African artists have managed to hold ground simultaneously across streaming charts, radio playlists, social media conversations, and now awards recognition with the same consistency. The dual nominations acknowledge not just one song, but the cultural footprint it has left behind.
Watch the Ngisakuthanda short film below.
Shebeshxt secures SAMA nominations
In an earlier report, Briefly News shared the details behind Shebeshxt's nominations at the South African Music Awards.
Despite his incarceration, the controversial rapper's hit song secured double recognition at the prestigious event.
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Source: Briefly News
