Aberdeen musicians represent at SAMA
Organisers of the the 12th annual Scottish Alternative Music Awards (SAMA) have announced that four Aberdeen and NE musicians are on the shortlist for victory. Winners will be decided by a public vote which ends on 10 November. Following that, on 27 November, nominees will find out if they have won an award at a ceremony in Glasgow. The SAMAs celebrate the rich creativity and innovation of musicians across Scotland.
Aberdeen has a strong and varied representation at this year’s awards. We think this points to a thriving music scene in the city. This is especially important because of the months of pandemic lockdowns.
Best Electronic – Kavari
Kavari is a musician from the left field. Her work takes the listener on a journey from abrasive electronica to etherial soundscapes. As an artist keen to experiment with new sounds and to tell new stories, Kavari is escapism encapsulated. She’s a new find to us here at POST, thanks to her SAMA nomination. We should have been looking harder to find this super talented artist right here on our doorstep.
The nomination means a lot to Kavari. When we reached out she told us this was “Mainly due to me being an independent female artist.” While she’s not signed, or under obligation to anyone, she paid tribute to her friend. “Eve assists me with emails and legal matters but it’s very informal so everything you see of mine; my music, visual art, merchandise, creative direction. It’s all me. I’ve grown up being told that my work was always ‘too extreme’ or that it ‘doesn’t have a place’, so it’s very validating having years of hard work being seen and acknowledged, especially on this scale.”
Best Newcomer – Chef
Rapper Chef has been making waves beyond Aberdeen over the past couple of years. His smooth flow and tight bars gaining him fans throughout Scotland and further afield. This year he has already been the subject of BBC Scotland’s TUNE along with go-to producer Louis Seivwright.
He’s enjoying the recocognition, telling us, “It’s great to be recognised and get the chance to win such a great award.” But in terms of the future, Chef said that he’s “Just looking to stay focused and keep working hard to get more and more opportunities and hopefully bring more light to what we do.”
Best Newcomer – Aiitee
Aiitee takes her influences from soul and R&B, and filters them through afrobeat to create a fantastically listenable sound. She has sung since she was a child in church, but only started releasing music in 2020, making an immediate impact on the Scottish music scene.
The Scots Nigerian received recognition earlier in the year, earning a Scottish Album of the Year nomination for her 2020 album, Love Don’t Fall. She regularly works with fellow Best Newcomer nominee, Chef.
Best Metal – Hellripper
Hellripper is a speed metal outfit who have earned a growing following in the underground metal scene over recent years. After signing with the legendary ‘Peaceville Records’ for the release of their second album ‘The Affair of the Poisons’, the one-man band achieved their first appearance on the US Billboard Charts.
Speaking about the nomination, James McBain, the man behind Hellripper, told us, “It’s great to be nominated for an award at the SAMAs, and it’s always nice for your work to be recognised, especially alongside a selection of amazing artists! I really appreciate everyone’s support over the past year and the SAMAs for doing their bit in showcasing Scotland’s music scene over the past decade or so. It goes to show you that there’s a lot of cool stuff coming out of Scotland right now!”
Nominations in full
Best Acoustic
Christy
Constant Follower
Lizabett Russo
Lizzie Reid
Best Electronic
AISHA
Barry Can’t Swim
KAVARI
Macka
Best Hip Hop
Bemz
Chef
Clarissa Woods
K4cie
Best Live Act
Andrew Wasylyk
Bemz
Rachel Aggs
Tom Spirals
Best Metal
Dvne
Frontierer
Godeater
Hellripper
Best Newcomer
AiiTee
Bee Asha
Chef
Danny Cliff
Best Rock/Alternative
Dictator
MEMES
Spyres
Swim School
About POST
Kevin Mitchell and Chris Sansbury founded POST from a desire to cut through the noise to share the great things that happen in Aberdeen. They therefore focus on community, culture and the interesting people of the city. The local artists, businesses and charities; photographers, musicians and entertainers; the people at a local level that make a positive impact on our city each and every day. So they use video, audio, writing and social media to amplify the voices in our community, and to ultimately give a platform to Aberdeen folk to engage and tell their own stories.
Recent work includes interviews with We Are Here Scotland founder Ica Headlam; Paralympic gold medalist, Neil Fachie; Chef, an Aberdeen rapper who is pushing for success; an article by film director Mark Stirton about the state of high-rise buildings in the city; coverage of Nuart Aberdeen and TEDx Aberdeen, as well as coverage of British Art Show 9.
So visit postabdn.com now to read a great selection of interviews and articles.
