MBABANE – Nothando Hlophe has reached another historic milestone.
The vocal powerhouse and worship minister has officially captured two major nominations at the prestigious 2026 Basadi in Music Awards (BIMA), securing nods for Gospel Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for her chart-topping track, ‘Methodist Medley’.
Speaking on the latest accolades, Hlophe’s manager, Phindokuhle Sithole, highlighted that these nominations emphasise an artist at the absolute peak of her musical and spiritual maturity.
“This nomination is a powerful affirmation of Nothando Hlophe’s continued growth as both a Gospel artist and worship minister,” Sithole remarked. “Since the release of ‘A New Dawn’, her music has consistently transcended borders, earning recognition on some of Southern Africa’s most respected platforms,” he said. Sithole observed that the singer’s journey stretching from South Africa’s Metro FM Music Awards to the SABC Crown Gospel Music Awards and back to the National Gospel Music Awards at home in Eswatini is indicative of an expanding ministry marked by excellence and continental resonance. He mentioned that ‘A New Dawn’ is more than just an album, it is a movement that continues to touch lives and elevate the profile of Eswatini’s Gospel music across Africa.
“Winning a Basadi in Music Award would be another historic milestone for Nothando Hlophe and for the Kingdom of Eswatini, it would further affirm that music produced in Eswatini can compete at the highest level on the African continent,” Sithole said.
Opportunity
Sithole added that as management, they see every nomination and every award as an opportunity to inspire excellence and demonstrate that when purpose meets preparation, African audiences respond.
Since ‘A New Dawn’ release, Nothando Hlophe has received recognition across multiple major platforms, including:
1. Metro FM Music Awards 2026 – Best Gospel Album (‘A New Dawn’).
2. SABC Crown Gospel Music Awards 2025 – Winner of the prestigious Best of Africa Award.
3. National Gospel Music Awards (Eswatini) 2025 – Multiple nominations culminating in wins for Best Gospel Artist, Song of the Year and Best Live Recording/Album for ‘A New Dawn’.
4. Basadi in Music Awards 2026 – Two nominations for Gospel Artist of the Year and Song of the Year (Methodist Medley).
Collectively, these recognitions represent at least seven major nominations across premier award platforms since the release of ‘A New Dawn’, in addition to multiple award wins.
This remarkable trajectory reflects the project’s enduring impact and reinforces Nothando Hlophe’s position as one of the leading Gospel voices from Eswatini on the African stage.
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