Gatto and newcomer Valda secure SBC’s Paradise FM Awards 2020 top spots |21 December 2020

Gatto (right) and Ras David

This year’s second SBC’s Paradise FM Awards saw Gatto securing top spot with three awards under his belt, while gospel singer and newcomer Valda clinched two.

Hosted by well-known radio personalities Oriji and Emz, the awards show featured ten categories of awards, aimed at recognising Seychellois artists who have over the year contributed to the local music scene.

As with the first show, this year’s featured 10 categories, including a new category for the Most Valuable Player, an award which went to singer and producer Xtra Big for all his efforts throughout the year, whether with his own music or hits produced for other artists. In accepting the award, the mogul dedicated it to younger brother Deezla, who sadly passed away recently.

Valda, who unfortunately was absent at the ceremony, swooped up the award for Best Newcomer, a category dedicated to artists who have for the first time this year made their work available to the radio platform. The spiritual singer released her 11-track album entitled ‘It is a good thing to praise the Lord’ earlier this year. The track ‘Konbyen Fwa’ remained on the charts for four weeks.

Competition was fairly close in the second category with contenders including Richie B, Xtra Big, Gatto, Ion Kid, Elijah, Auspitious, Philip Barra, Jahkim and Ricky Ras. Gatto however claimed the award for Most Requested Male Artist, with his hugely-popular album ‘Sape’. Numerous tracks from the album were featured on the Paradise FM charts for numerous weeks, including the track ‘Personn pa Konnen’ which topped the charts for several weeks.

Indeed the track ‘Personn pa konnen’ on which Gatto features Ras David, clinched the duo the award for Best Collaboration/ Duo/Group. The song made its debut on the Paradise FM charts at the number 8 spot with around 50 votes before swiftly moving up to number 1 spot where it was unchallenged for 15 weeks. The song also secured the duo one of the most coveted awards of the night, Number 1 Tune for the year.

The female category was just as competitive, with Sandra, Katty Melanie, Valda and Taniah as nominees for Most Requested Female Artist. The category secured Valda her second win for her debut album.

Public Appreciation Award, song that does not necessarily make it to the top spot of the charts but is still well appreciated by the public. The three nominees in the category were Auspitious with ‘I’m going back’, Taniah and Mercenary with ‘Senp fot’ and Johnny Magnan with ‘Pa loksizenn sa’. The category was won by Auspitious with his track taken from the album ‘Demontre sa ki ou merite’, a well-appreciated hit which remained a total 20 weeks on the charts.

The fifth category of awards, Most Chart Entries (Males) featured three nominees, namely, Elijah, Auspitious and Richie B, all of whom had multiple song entries on the charts throughout the year. Richie B clinched the award with five songs; ‘Mon’n ganny ase’, ‘Pa anvi perdi ou’, ‘Lanmen dan lanmen’, ‘Larzan prete’ and ‘Fer mon zalou’, a win he dedicated to producer Xtra Big.

Only two female nominees, Taniah and Katty Melanie, graced the category for Most Chart Entries (Females). Surprisingly both were presented with the award, as they both amassed the same number of chart entries.

The Hot Tune category featured four nominations but was won by Ion Kid and Auspitious with the afrobeat-like ‘Baba Dou’, the song which has this far secured the highest number of votes, specifically 720 votes, and featured on the chart show for 20 weeks. The other three nominees in the same category were Phillip Barra’s ‘Nou lanmour’, Ricky Ras with ‘Tro Sibir’, newcomer Joey with ‘Sanzman’.

Awardees received a shield, goodie bags, sponsored studio sessions, vouchers and hampers among other goodies.

The awards extravanganza was animated by Seychelles Soundz band, who backed performances by One Vibe, Joey, Aslan, Phillip Barra, and many more. Paradise FM radio personalities, Oriji, Chicco Martino, Queenly, Emz, Cus Mun also pulled off a special surprise medley performance.

The accompanying photographs show the award winners of the evening.

Laura Pillay

Photos: Joena Meme