The year 2024 has been a good one for praise singer and musician Thilemelwi Arnold Nyamande, better known as Papa Thile.
Two weeks ago, he left guests in awe and impressed the Zulu king when he ascended the stage to receive a SATMA award. He was voted the Best Tshivenda Artist in a category where he was up against two popular artists, Junior Sikheli and Fhatu. The awards were held in Durban on 30 November.
As if that was not enough, the popular praise singer and musician scooped another prestigious award at the Tshivenda Music Awards (TSHIMA). He was nominated in two categories—Best Male Artist and Best Poetry—but only won the Best Poetry award. In this category, he competed against the nationally acclaimed poet Vendaboy Poet, Masimbe, Muḓogwa, and C2B The Poet.
"The year 2024 has been very kind to me. Two awards in a row can only be described as a big blessing. I worked so hard, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I could end the year on such a high note. For all this, to God be the glory," he said.
Papa Thile further said the awards were not only victories for his art, but also the realisation of visions he had had when he had started this journey. "Who am I not to be grateful after accepting two awards in the same season before trailblazers in the industry? My highlight this year was seeing Zulu King Misizulu clapping and nodding his head when I ascended the stage to accept my award. There was also wild applause from the floor, which boosted my morale. This shows I am on the right track," he said.
Thile said he felt revitalised and looked forward to 2025 with new, ambitious projects in the pipeline. "This is the culmination of my dream to take my poetry beyond my province to a national audience. I will always be indebted to my loyal fans," Papa Thile said.