Wouter Kellerman, Zakes Bantwini and Nomcebo Zikode at the 65th Grammy Awards.
Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
- Congratulatory messages were the order of the day as Zakes Bantwini, Nomcebo Zikode and Wouter Kellerman received praise for their Grammy win for their collaboration on Bayethe.
- They won the award for Best Global Act in the Global Music category at the 65th most prestigious music event on Sunday in Los Angeles.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa thanked the trio for their “brilliant contribution to putting South Africa on the world stage”.
On Monday, congratulations were the order of the day for Zakes, Bantwini, NomceboZikode and Wouter Kellerman as local celebrities praised them for winning a grammy award for his collaboration in Bayethe.
The three won the award for Best Global Performance in the Global Music category at the 65th installment of the most prestigious music event, which took place on Sunday in Los Angeles.
They were nominated alongside Nigerian superstar Burna Boy for last last, Arogi Aftab and Anoushka Shankar for udhero na, Matt B and Eddy Kenzo by give me Love and Rocky Dawuni with Blyk H3ro for Never lean.
Speaking about winning the award, Zakes Bantwini said he hoped it would show all young South Africans that anything was possible.
He said:
This award isn’t just for us, it’s for everyone at home. This moment is a testament to the fact that our dreams are valid and we can achieve anything we set our minds to. I want all the little kids in the South African ghetto to dream big and believe that we deserve to be recognized on the world’s biggest stages.
The musician, producer and businessman also thanked his team at IMG Africa, his collaborator and all those who supported them on their way to obtaining the award.
Zakes Bantwini’s manager, business partner and friend Sibo Mhlungu said the win was “incredibly special” for them.
“When Zakes and I started this company a year and a half ago, our goal was always to compete on the world stage,” he said in a press release. “This moment didn’t come by chance – we prepared for it and we talked to make it happen. My team and everyone involved in this project have a big congratulations to my team, we will definitely be celebrating all year long.”
Congratulatory messages for the trio also poured in from the political fraternity, with President Cyril Ramaphosa thanking the trio for their “brilliant contribution to putting South Africa on the world stage”.
The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture and the Provincial Government of KwaZulu-Natal, the home province of Zakes Bantwini and Nomcebo Zikode, congratulated Zakes Bantwini and Zikode on their first win and Kellerman on his second win.
Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said the trio’s award affirmed their local and international contributions to the music industry.
To the musicians, the department said: “South Africa is proud of the great work of art that they continue to produce with excellence and high levels of creativity without compromising national identity and our beautiful history of a beautiful people, capable of rising from the ashes of the past. and rise to conquer against all odds”.
“We salute you on behalf of all the people of this beautiful country of South Africa.”
Dube-Ncube said the province was proud of Zakes Bantwini, who hails from KwaMashu and Zikode, from Mpumalanga Township in Hammarsdale, for flying the country’s flag and putting the province on the world music stage through his victory.
“We celebrate the success of the sons and daughters of the province who are a beacon of hope and an inspiration for many young people in the municipalities and rural areas,” he said in a press release.
She added:
The Grammy Award success of Zakes, Nomcebo and Kellerman is not only remarkable for KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa, but significant for the African continent as well. By winning this Grammy Award, Zakes, Nomcebo and Kellerman have shown the world that KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Africa are indeed a musical force to be reckoned with globally. We cannot thank you enough for reviving the faith and hope of many aspiring artists in the province and South Africa in general.
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal and Economic Freedom Fighters also congratulated the three musicians, adding that their victory “reaffirms the depth of talent in the South African music industry.”
“The trio have not only done South Africa proud, but have shown that resilience and dedication are the keys to success in a country where the arts are sorely neglected,” the EFF said in a press release. “The song Bayethe they now sit firmly in the international history books, and their names will forever be remembered as great African talents. Congratulations!”
Meanwhile, on social media, reality star and YouTuber Lasizwe Dambuza congratulated Zakes Bantwini on the win, saying: “Ladies and gentlemen, Grammy Award Winner Zakes Bantwini, from South Africa! You are a reminder that dreams can really come.” TRUE. Congrats @ZakesBantwiniSA.”
Zakes Bantwini’s wife, musician and TV presenter, Nandi Madida, echoed a similar sentiment, adding that her father-in-law “is definitely smiling in heaven.”
“As some of you may know, @zakesbantwini sadly he lost his father last month. As you can imagine, it’s been a very difficult time for him, but I know his father is very proud of him right now. You have gained a powerful ancestor, my love. Congratulations on winning your first Grammy!”
The victory for Zakes Bantwini, Kellerman and Zikode marks the tenth time that a Grammy Award has come to South Africa. In 2022, South African DJ and music producer Black Coffee won the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album for subconsciously.
In an interview with news 24, Before the awards, Zakes Bantwini said that he was “very optimistic” that they would return with the award as he had “a very positive vibe about it.” He added that more African acts were receiving recognition from the prestigious awards because “they now compete at that particular level.”
He said:
It’s really amazing to witness what’s going on right now, but I think it’s because the world now notices and sees that the world doesn’t want us to fit into the narrative anymore. They want to hear us as we are. You do not need any American characteristics for your song to be considered as one of the most popular songs. You have people like Burna Boy now with number one songs in America, without any American characteristics, and it just goes to show that I think African music can now be independent and could be globally competitive and appreciated by almost everyone. .
READ MORE | Zakes Bantwini on the Grammy Awards: ‘For me, I already won them’
