NAMAs 2018 – Fashion, Faux Pas and Everything In Between

It was a night of fun and fervour as artists from all corners of the country flocked to Swakopmund for the 2018 Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs). Although there were no major disasters, there were moments which had us laughing our heads off and others were just plain cringe-worthy (cries in Umbi).

The event was sprinkled with a handful of good performances and since it seems that some artists cannot handle a show with a live band, certain performances looked more like a high school talent show audition (and not a very good one).

Bullet ya Kaoko’s traditional performance gave the audience what they came for with moves that were an absolute delight to watch. If this wasn’t one of your favourites, you’d be lying.

Siegfried ‘Ou Jomo’ Haoseb and Sebulon ‘Axue’ Gomachab not only received lifetime achievers awards, but gave a stunning performance that deserved thunderous applause.

Unfortunately, the live audience wasn’t generous with their ovations.

Dance was the order of the day when South Africa’s Distruction Boyz and Babes Wodumo surprised viewers with a lively act. Although singer Teqla performed twice and her vocals were amazing, the performances were lacklustre, and so was that of best Afrikaans winner Reeziana, to name a few.

President Hage Geingob and First Lady Monica Geingos were the special invited guests with an area right in front of the stage cordoned off for them, and by the looks of it, the first couple definitely enjoyed the show.

Roars of excitement echoed throughout the dome when One Blood took home the best song of the year award, but other winners received less love from the tough crowd.

Surprise appearances by Minnie Dlamini-Jones and Lungile ‘Lungsta’ Radu were welcomed, with the duo showing off their MCing skills. Dlamini-Jones gave Kp Illest a shoutout, calling his one of the “favourite” performances of her night.

And who can forget Gazza’s ‘scolding’ on stage? Looks like we’ve got a legendary phrase: “I don’t make music for the artists, I make music for the people!”

One of the best things about an award shows is the fashion. Lovers of all things style showed off with their designer dresses and suits, while others simply put in no effort at all.

Stand-out looks include that of Jay-Aeron who was styled by Simeon Johannes in a Synedgy outfit that featured an impressive silk print skirt with a long-sleeved rose-coloured top to match and pink hair for flair. Reinhard Mahalie, who usually goes all out, chose to dull down his look in a suit while Rumano Fabrish chose a tier gown in green and red with a maroon layer and red lipstick. Sadly, this look didn’t capture the essence of what Fabrish is normally about which is style, dramatics and slayage.

Dillish Mathews rocked two princess-like looks, a yellow number that accentuated her figure thanks to Damage Designs, while the second, a long blue dress, captured attention and overshadowed anyone in her vicinity.

Some would say Chikune also rocked the blue carpet, but others would say ‘nahhh’. There aren’t many words for the singer’s outfit – a suit with a (wrong) twist, maybe? With shoulders flaring like there’s no tomorrow, the outfit hid her incredible figure and drowned some of her best features.

D-Naff opted to go for an army-inspired outfit (which includes heavy combat boots) and his wife, Lady Dyna’s dress was… well… let’s just say formal and colourful.

Kp Illest went for a mellow look which more or less reminded us of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s famous 90s pic where he dons a polo neck and a chain, but Kp remixed the outfit with a trench coat and jeans.

Sticking to an all-black look, model Varaa Hambira wore a mermaid gown paired with a dotted fanny pack and a regal braided hairstyle. Sharon Tjimbundu was also the talk of the town with a simple cherise pink number and inches of hair to match.

And then there was Athawise whose look was a failed attempt to be creative. The mesh of brown in variations didn’t work for him – a simple design would have complemented his cleanly shaven face far better.

One person on the blue carpet that certainly got attention for all the wrong reasons is rapper Jeff AD. While his outfit matched his personality – all over the place and loud – it was a poor execution of what is supposedly fashion.

MTC’s John Ekongo was happy to give the media a tour of the venue before the chaos of the night and several arrangements were different this year. Anyone who bought a VIP ticket was given exclusive access to the main entrance of the Swakopmund Dome and chauffeured in closer to the stage. Because of the President’s presence, a metal detector was placed at all entrances with lots of security pinpointing key areas.

MTC’s team said they weren’t expecting a large turnout, but it turns out the hall was filled to the brim.

“We decided that during the two hours of the blue carpet, we would be monitoring the artists,” Ekongo said. No alcohol was allowed in the main venue, except at the bar area as well and of course, no flash photography or audio-visuals.

“It’s copyrighted content when it goes live,” Ekongo mentioned. The area in the mid-section at the front was strictly reserved for the president and his posse with security guards in all corners restricting movement in the area.

In the general public section, elevated areas were set up for a better view. “It was better to put up the elevated seating as opposed to another row of 200 chairs,” Ekongo said.

There was a new blue room set up on stage. Normally, this area would be behind the stage and cater exclusively to television viewers, but this time around, the audience could also enjoy the interviews while at their seats.

Running on powerful generators with more back-up in case things went awry, the team behind the NAMAs made sure that the night ran smoothly in terms of electrical issues, with kilometres of wires and cables spread throughout. Luckily, they worked just fine.

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