Gift Moyo and Mbulelo Mpofu
THE growing stature of MJ Sings in Bulawayo’s music industry and the rising importance of digital content creators in the city’s arts landscape are reflected in the latest Bulawayo Arts Awards (BAAs) nominations, with the two creatives earning recognition in their respective fields.
For MJ Sings, his eighth nomination in the awards’ nine editions is evidence of the consistency and growing influence he has established in the local music scene. It also establishes him as one of the young artists who can be considered a leading voice in the local music industry. For comedian and digital creator Mthulisi Moyo, popularly known as Mahlalela, his nomination signals how online content creation is increasingly commanding recognition alongside more established creative disciplines.
The Prince of Soul, MJ Sings, has secured his eighth official BAA nomination, this time in the Outstanding Kwaito/House/Amapiano Artist category, reinforcing his position among Bulawayo’s leading musical acts.
The Afro House artiste, who has enjoyed a productive year, said he was busy working on new music when news of his nomination reached him. Although he had seen promotional material announcing the nominees on social media, he admitted that he was initially hesitant to check the list.
“I was actually working on some more music when I got the news. I’ve been seeing the flyers about the nomination reveal on social media, but I was a bit nervous to check if my name was there. Awards can be so unpredictable at times,” he said.
Despite this being his eighth nomination, MJ said the recognition still carried the same excitement and significance as his first.
“It’s always an honour being recognised by the Bulawayo Arts Awards for the work we’re putting in. It also gets to open the eyes of our international collaborators to how impactful our works together are,” he said.
For the musician, the nomination is also an acknowledgement of the collective effort behind his growing brand involving his production team, management and supporters.
“It’s definitely a sign for us to continue putting in more work. These recognitions are not only for me but my entire team, including production, management and the fans themselves,” he said.
MJ faces competition from fellow artistes Vele Vele, Mawiza and Cooperman as he seeks to claim this year’s Outstanding Kwaito/House/Amapiano Artist award.
While MJ’s nomination reflects the sustained growth of an established musical career, Mahlalela’s recognition speaks to the expanding place of digital content creators in Bulawayo’s creative industry.
The Sigola-born, Ntabazinduna-bred comedian has been nominated in the Outstanding Digital Content Creator category, a development he says makes last year’s show of faith by fellow comedian Madlela Sikhobokhobo particularly rewarding.
At the eighth edition of the awards last year, Madlela withdrew his nomination in the Outstanding Online Content Creator category, explaining that he wanted emerging creatives to have an opportunity to shine.
Having already accumulated seven BAA awards, he also felt it was time to make room for others.
He went a step further by suggesting that Mahlalela deserved to take his place, recognising the comedian’s work across comedy, writing, music and digital content creation.
For Mahlalela, the gesture was more than a public endorsement; it was an example of an established artiste using his influence to encourage others.
“I’m excited to be a part of this year’s nominees. Madlela showed his support for my craft last year. He surely sees what I do as a fellow comedian, writer, musician and content creator. He saw it fit that I should have been among the nominees, which I’m grateful for,” he said.
“Being recognised in your own jurisdiction gives encouragement. What Madlela did showed his big heart, someone who wants to see people excel in what they do.”
Having now secured his own place among the nominees, Mahlalela sees the recognition as encouragement to push his creative boundaries further.
Earlier this year, he announced plans to move away from relying mainly on standalone comedy skits and venture into episodic drama, giving audiences stories they can follow from one instalment to the next.
“My target this year is to start creating my dramas in episodes. I want to shift from skits that leave our consumers suspended to something people can follow. I want people to watch my work on a daily basis, like daily soapies in a sequential manner,” he said.
“I have already started producing episodes with continuations. This is the growth from this year onwards.”
His approach signals an ambition to expand the possibilities of digital storytelling, moving beyond quick comic situations towards sustained narratives that allow characters and storylines to develop.
