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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
Mr Putiti, ExQ will be the headline act at the inaugural Star FM Music Awards, while the gongs those musicians will win during the showcase have been secured.

The Star FM Music Awards will be held on January 25 at Zimbali Gardens Events and Lifestyle Centre and are sponsored by Jan-Jam Men’s Wear, Impala Car Rental and Club Sankayi.

ExQ is a befitting choice as the headline act as he leads with six nominations at the award ceremony. From Bulawayo fast-rising house vocalist Novuyo Seagirl has two nominations in the Best House Song for her runaway hit AEIOU and Best Newcomer. Sandra Ndebele’s Lizwile will battle it out with Seagirl in the Best House Song category alongside DJ Skaiva’s Bengazi while Asaph is battling it out in the Best Hip Hop Song category.

Star FM Music Awards manager Zandile “Zaza” Ndlovu said ExQ would be added to the already star-studded line up of performers that includes Ammara Brown, Asaph, Enzo Ishall, Tamy Moyo, Mkhululi Bhebhe and Novuyo Seagirl, who are all nominated in the 21 categories.

She said the 20 gongs have been secured for winners on the night.

“Artistes are very particular with the trophies that they will win. As such we’ve secured all 20, as we had asked someone in Zimbabwe to make them. We’d contemplated on ordering them from South Africa, but due to the foreign currency shortage we then got them done in Zimbabwe,” said Zaza.

She said all other prize monies have been secured and would be revealed towards the awards ceremony next week.

Zaza said Star FM listeners have started winning tickets to the awards ceremony. “As we said before we want 100 people to win the tickets for the show. What we’ve done is that 50 people will win double tickets for the show so that they can come with their friend, partner, loved one or spouse to enjoy the night. So if people want to win these tickets they have to listen to Star FM daily,” she said.

Zaza said voting for the People’s Choice Awards has begun, encouraging listeners to vote for their favourite singers on www.starfmawards.co.zw and click on the Vote tab.

General Manager of the Zimpapers Radio Broadcasting Division Comfort Mbofana said they were happy with the preparations for the awards.

“Our preparations are at an advanced stage and everything is going smoothly. We’ll be streaming the awards live and we are actually putting the final touches to the awards themselves,” he said.

He said since the processes preceding the award ceremony have been completed smoothly they were now waiting for January 25.

“The most important part for us has been the nomination and adjudication process that has been done. All that has gone on very smoothly and it is time to honour the people who won. We want to do our bit as the radio station to put Zimbabwean music to higher heights,” said Mbofana.