YAMAS 2020 Go Virtual
Staff Writer | Friday September 18, 2020 17:40
The Awards will now be held virtually via Now Channel on DSTV Channel 290 and on the Yarona FM Facebook page on September 26 at 8pm.
They join other events to be the first to held virtually in Botswana.
The 2020 edition of the YAMAS was originally slated to be held at the University of Botswana (UB) Campus Indoor Sport Centre early this year, but plans for the event could not materialise due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“There will be no public attendance at this year’s event. It will be produced for broadcast on TV and digital platforms.
The event will take place in an extended reality studio that will comprise of the hosts only.
The show must go on and we still have to award artists for their splendid job,” Yarona FM Station Manager Kelly Ramputswa said in an interview. Furthermore, Ramputswa stated that nothing much has changed apart from the awards ceremony going virtual and the voting lines for nominees remain the same.
The voting lines opened on Tuesday September 8 and will close on September 23 at midnight. Yarona FM has partnered with the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development (MYSC) and First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) who contributed money to ensure that winners go home with cash prizes ranging from P10, 000 and P15, 000.
“We recognise the hardship that has befallen the creative industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Botswana’s creative sector remains resilient and Yarona FM, as a crucial player remains committed to contributing meaningfully to develop the sector.
The partnership to bring the YAMAS at this time, with cash winnings for musicians and other creatives involved in the show is demonstration that we are all in this together,” Ramputswa added.
The effort of gifting artists with money is a big boost since most of them did not manage to source income from live performances due to COVID-19 protocols that led to suspension of many events.
Yarona FM presenters, Loungo Andre Pitse and Kedi Molosiwa will host the sixth edition of the YAMAS. There will be performances from artists such as ATI, Mophato Dance Theatre, Girly and FME DJs.