By Kudzayi Zvinavashe recently in Mutare
The eastern city Mutare is billed to come alive when the residents and music fanatics will witness the inaugural Mutare music awards titled Merit Awards, awards that are expected to recognise hard work, discipline, determination and innovation within the artists from Mutare.
Merit awards are being hosted by Netive arts production, a company that has been credited for promoting the upcoming artists in Mutare.
The production company just finished producing over 20 music videos for Mutare based artists free of charge, something that inspired Netive company to host awards.
Speaking in an interview with Netive director, Artwell Gumiso said, “Having a passion for music and volunteering in hosting music events it came as a vision that there has never been any musical awards in Mutare since the independence of the country ”.
The awards will go down in the books of history as a first after a long while, being a first the date of the awards is still sketchy and the selection process is still being explored.
Citizens, music lovers and fans will be involved in the decision making on who gets crowned as the winners as there is a voting system which is being put in place.
19 categories laced with sub categories have been proposed thus far which will see about 24 awards being handed out to winners at the award ceremony.
Gumiso has appealed to the corporate world within and outside the city to support the initiative as it will go a long way in motivating the artists in Mutare.
The suggested categories are as follows…
ARTISTS OF THE YEAR ALL GENRES
UPCOMING/ MOST PROMISING ARTIST
REMEMBERANCE AWARD
HIP HOP
BEST FEMALE ARTIST
BEST MALE ARTIST
BEST COLLABORATION
BEST UPCOMING ARTIST
ZIM DANCEHALL
BEST FEMALE ARTIST
BEST MALE ARTIST
BEST COLLABORATION
BEST UPCOMING ARTIST
MOST DESCIPLINED
DANCE GROUPS
BEST URBAN DANCE GROUP
BEST TRADITIONAL DANCE GROUP
BEST DANCE GROUP OVERALLY
R N B
BEST FEMALE ARTIST
BEST MALE ARTIST
BEST UPCOMING ARTIST
GOSPEL
BEST FEMALE ARTIST
BEST MALE ARTIST
BEST UPCOMING ARTIST
MUSEWE
BEST SUNGURA ARTIST
UPCOMING SUNGURA ARTIST
DISC JOCKEYING (DJ)
BEST FEMALE
BEST MALE
BEST UPCOMING
CREATIVE & INNOVATIVE DJ
ENTREPRENEURIAL DJ OF THE YEAR
LONG TIME SERVING
MUSIC PRODUCER
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR (Hip Hop)
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR (Zim Dancehall)
MUTARE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR AWARD
VIDEO PRODUCERS
BEST VIDEO PRODUCER
BEST UPCOMING VIDEO PRODUCER
VIDEOS
MUSICAL VIDEO OF THE YEAR
CTREATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
PROMOTERS AWARD
BEST MUSIC PROMOTER
UPCOMING PROMOTER
ARTIST MANAGERS AWARD
BEST MANAGER
MUTARE MUSIC ADVERTISING AGENCIES AWARD
MUTARE ENTERTAINMENT SPOT
BEST ENTERTAINMENT SPOT OF THE YEAR
UPCOMING ENTERTAINMENT SPOT OF THE YEAR
INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE ENTERTAINMENT SPOT OF THE YEAR
MUTARE BEST MIXTAPE
MUTARE MC’S
BEST MC
UPCOMING MC