Zee Nxumalo leaves empty-handed despite 7 MMA nominations
Zee Nxumalo walked away with no awards from the 2026 Metro FM Music Awards despite entering the night as one of the ceremony’s most nominated acts.
The amapiano star, who received seven nominations, lost in every category she was shortlisted for, including Best Female Artist and Artist of the Year. The awards took place on Saturday evening at the Durban International Convention Centre.
She took to twitter (X) shortly after the ceremony to express her disappointment, writing:
“God, you’re confusing me. I just lost 7 awards, but my new EP is doing well. What must happen?”
Industry heavyweights including Ciza, Shandesh, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo emerged as the evening’s biggest winners. Ciza secured both Best Male Artist and Artist of the Year.
Prince Kaybee retweeted and said:
“Those things don’t mean anything. GET TO WORK!“
A Painful Pattern
Despite history repeating itself, Nxumalo’s seven nominations tying her with producer Sam Deep for the most of any artist reaffirm her status as a leading force in the current South African music landscape. Her nominations spanned across genres including Best Lekompo, Best Music Video, Best Gqom/Kwaito, Best Maskandi, Best Styled Artist, Best Female Artist, and Artist of the Year.
Looking Ahead
Since her breakout with the 5× Platinum single “Funk 55” in 2023, the Swazi-South African singer has remained one of the country’s most-streamed female artists, closing 2025 as YouTube South Africa’s most-viewed female artist with over 180 million views.
While the trophies eluded her once again, her seven nominations alone reflect her dominance in the industry making her loss one of the most talked-about moments of the night.
