Backing vocalists and session musicians are once again to be celebrated and honoured for their immense contribution to the music industry, as the Backing Vocalists And Session Musicians Awards (BVSM Awards) return after a two-year break.
The brainchild of legendary singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka, BVSM Awards recognises the backing vocalists and session musicians who for “a long have been cast in the shadows of the stage, never seen nor acknowledged”.
The icon told IOL Entertainment that these musicians are essential and their contribution to the ecosystem of entertainment remains invaluable.
“These are the people who make us who we are. These are the people who make our songs sound beautiful, they give these songs life.
“Without the backing vocalist, the drummer, the pianist or the bassist, the song would be incomplete.
“So, this is our way of saying to all of them, ‘we appreciate you, we see you ... you are valuable in our lives and we thank you for your contribution’,” she said.
The "Umqombothi" hitmaker said it was her encounter with one of the session players in the early days of her career that inspired the BVSM initiative.
“I remember in 1987, I was in the studio and we needed to add some flavour to the song with a guitar or saxophone. A gentleman named Teaspoon was called to play the saxophone and all of a sudden that song changed completely.
“Teaspoon was paid R150 and that broke my heart. Though I was young at the time, I knew it was wrong. I didn’t understand why this man was only paid R150 because the song would go on and sell thousands of copies … That thing always stayed in my mind.
“So, in 1999, I consulted with some of the industry people and I posed the question: ‘how can we celebrate and honour the backing vocalist, the instrumentalists … all these people that help enhance our music?’ Some people agreed that they needed to be acknowledged, but at the time, none of them knew how.
“Fast-forward to 2010, I put together a proposal and sent it to different people and we launched in 2014. The first awards were hosted in 2015 and we never looked back since,” Chaka Chaka said.
The awards are held every two years and, this year, will be the fourth year running.
The awards cater for all music genres including kwaito, Afrikaans music, gospel, jazz, maskandi, hip hop and R&B.
“We are looking at artists that were constantly working between the years 2000 and 2005. So if you’re a session musician that worked with Skwatta Kamp, Malaika or Mafikizolo or any other group or musicians, around this time, we want you, we want to acknowledge you,” she said.
The 25 winners walk away with R5 000 cash prize, plus R20 000 that will be “deposited in an endowment policy”, which would make the prize R25 000.
“This is to stem the tide against the popular fate of ‘he or she died penniless’ headlines that often accompany the deaths of local musicians.
“The endowment helps to create generational wealth so that the artist can bequeath to his children or beneficiaries. This makes the BVSM Awards a project with a caring heart and an eye on the future,” explained Chaka Chaka in a press statement.
Entries and submission from musicians are open until December 10. For more information please visit: www.bvsm.co.za
The fourth annual BVSM Awards ceremony is set to take place on February 5, 2023, at the Soweto Theatre.