The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has a long track record of supporting various creative and artistic initiatives in the arts from a myriad of genres, and that is something we are continuing to expand. The Backing Vocalists and Session Musicians Awards, initiated by Yvonne Chaka Chaka, is one such project the Department has supported over the years. It aims to achieve meaningful recognition of unsung heroes in the music industry who contribute to the overall expression of music penned by gifted composers and performers in our country and beyond. stablished in 2014, the awards tell the stories of those who spend years backing and helping to build up our headline artists. Backing and session artistry is a noble profession and only those with true talent ultimately succeed. It is these stand out performers that these awards recognise, and it is richly deserved.

It is their voices and perfect renditions that hold immaculate harmonies together and add character and soul to recordings and performances. They continue to define our country’s sounds, both new and established, and they lay the foundations for emerging talents to gain confidence and experiment with new forms of expression.

DSAC can never be shaken in our commitment to keep positioning and growing the creative economy as a major contributor to the wealth and success of our country, and to ensure that it keeps people employed and productive. I take this opportunity to wish the Backing Vocalists and Session Musicians Awards further success and to congratulate the Princess of Africa Foundation and its partners for recognising the artists who do their essential work without fanfare. We raise a glass to you now as a toast to your brilliance.

MR GAYTON MCKENZIE
MINISTER OF SPORT, ARTS AND CULTURE