Scottish Alternative Music Awards moves online due to Covid

The virtual ceremony will take place on Wednesday, November 18, and feature live sets from two Scottish acts.

Scottish Alternative Music Awards moves online due to Covid SAMA

The Scottish Alternative Music Awards (SAMA) is going virtual for its 11th year.

Moving online for the first time in its history due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event will continue to shine a spotlight on new contemporary music across a wide range of genres.

The virtual ceremony will take place on Wednesday, November 18, and feature live sets from two Scottish acts.

The award nominees – across seven categories including Best Live Act and Best Newcomer – will be selected by specialist groups of music professionals.

Music fans will then get a chance to have their say through a three-day public vote ahead of the ceremony.

Many of Scotland’s biggest acts right now are previous winners, including Gerry Cinnamon, Lewis Capaldi, Be Charlotte, The Van T’s, The Ninth Wave, Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5 and many more.

Committed to the Keychange gender equality pledge, the event will feature 50/50 representation amongst the award nominators, the booking policy for performers, and in the make-up of the team working on the event.

Creative director Richy Muirhead said: “This year has been an incredibly challenging time for the arts. At the same time, it has been so refreshing to see artists continue to write and release music from across Scotland during the lockdown. 

“The awards are a platform to ignite some positivity, encourage music discovery, and take a wide look at many of the innovative artists across genres. 

“Not hosting this in a packed-out room in Glasgow will be strange, but we are working behind the scenes to deliver something just as special.”

SAMA categories

  • Best Rock/Alternative in association with Rock Rose Gin
  • Best Live Act in association with Musicians’ Union
  • Best Newcomer in association with Academy of Music & Sound
  • Best Hip Hop in association with Help Musicians UK
  • Best Metal in association with Hard Rock Cafe Glasgow
  • Best Electronic in association with citizenM
  • Best Acoustic in association with BTO BeCreative

For more information, click here.

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