The suspense is finally over, and people can breathe a sigh of relief after a month-long build-up to the big announcement. Finally, Metro FM has announced the return of the Metro FM Awards. 

GOING BACK TO MBOMBELA

The last Metro FM Awards were held in 2016 and they skipped a few years  due to reports of a financial snag and instability within the SABC. They return on 29 April 2023 to the City Of Mbombela in Mpumalanga. Last night, stakeholders gathered at The Capital Hotel in Mbombela to witness the revival of a fan favourite. Hosted by Lerato Kganyago and with performances by ChillerFlame, Nomfundo Moh, and Afro Traction, the ceremony boasted the beauty of the province and the support of local businesses and talent.

WHY THE METROS WERE ON A BREAK

Following a short-lived break, the MMAs will provide a platform for interaction with music, business, public representatives, communities, and the media, with a rationale to recognise and reward luminaries and excellence in the music industry. The Group Executive for SABC Radio Ms. Nada Wotshela tells ZiMoja that there were a number of reasons why the awards were held back." In the years 2017 and 2018, the organisation was recalibrating. there was a lot of instability, as you know during that year," she says. "We then started working on a comeback in 2019 for 2020 and then COVID-19 happened, and we did not want to come back on a small scale and do a virtual thing. We wanted to come back strong and with a bang."

WHAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO

What's going to be interesting is the acknowledgment of the new genres that have come up since then. Amapiano are going to take centre stage. Also, artists who have been independent and self-publishing on digital media. I think, the new kids will get the spotlight as they have done things differentlyf rom what we have seen in the past," she adds.