Zima organisers call for entries

Rutendo Kanogoiwa Showbiz Reporter
LOCAL artistes are being invited to submit their works in order to be nominated for this year’s Zimbabwe Music Awards (Zima).

The awards ceremony taking place on October 16 at the Harare International Conference Centre will see artistes being acknowledged and honoured for their contributions to the arts industry.

The entries which opened last week will close on August 10 in preparation for the ceremony to run under the theme: “Celebrating music through leaders”.

To submit one’s works, one simply has to download an entry form from the Zimbabwe Music Awards website — www.zimaawards.co.zw and complete it.

Zima marketing and public relations executive, Farai Chapotera, said those who will be shortlisted will be announced in September, once the judging panel and Zima board has finalised the selection process.

She said this year’s awards would once again have 26 categories, with the addition of a media award to honour journalists who have excelled in covering the arts industry still hanging in the balance.

“Some journalists proposed that a new category be added for journalists that cover the music fraternity. We still need to meet as a board and consult the necessary people on the new category,” Chapotera said.

The categories will include Best traditional music, Best contemporary choral music, Best acapella, Best sungura music, Best hip hop music, Best house music, Best R&B/Soul Music, Best afro pop music, Best dancehall music, Best jazz music and Album of the year among others.

Award organisers, who earlier this year called for new judges to assist them, said they were happy with the new panel.

“The response from potential judges was overwhelming. We selected judges with different levels of experience and qualifications and we’re very happy with the new panel. They’re what we wanted and even better,” Chapotera said.

She said the judges would only be unveiled on the day of the awards.

The awards which made a comeback last year saw Ex-Q, Souljah Love, Tehn Diamond, Sebastian Magacha, Cynthia Mare and Alaina being awarded. Cde Chinx was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award.