Hle has won Female Artist of the Year at the 32nd South African Music Awards, completing a major double at SAMA32 after her album The Ground We’re On was also named Album of the Year.
Hle was announced as the winner on Saturday night at the Sun City Superbowl in the North West, where the South African music industry gathered for the 32nd edition of the country’s premier recording awards.
The Female Artist of the Year award places Hle among the biggest individual winners of SAMA32 and gives further recognition to a recording career built around contemporary faith music.
Her victory came in one of the ceremony’s five major Top Five categories. Hle’s fellow nominees were lordkez for You, Me & The 90’s, Makhadzi for Sesi Ka Rose, Bucy Radebe for Praise & Worship In The Wilderness, Pt. 1 and Simphiwe Dana for Moya.
Hle entered the awards with one of the strongest nomination profiles of the evening. The Ground We’re On was nominated for Best Contemporary Faith Music Album, while Hle was also shortlisted for Female Artist of the Year.
She has now converted both major nominations into victories.
Earlier in the ceremony, The Ground We’re On was named Album of the Year, putting Hle’s project ahead of the other finalists in the category.
The Female Artist of the Year award broadens that achievement beyond the album itself. It recognises Hle as the leading female artist among a field that represented several different strands of South African music.
Her victory also underscores the strength of contemporary faith music at this year’s ceremony. Hle’s album competed in the broader Album of the Year category alongside recordings representing African indigenous faith music, dance, adult contemporary and other musical traditions.
The result gives Hle one of the most significant double victories of SAMA32.
She is now both SAMA32 Album of the Year winner and Female Artist of the Year.
The achievement comes at a ceremony that has produced winners across South Africa’s diverse music landscape. Kabza De Small has won Best Amapiano Album, Makhadzi Best Traditional Music Album, Bucy Radebe Best Traditional Faith Music Album, Paras “Sibalukhulu” Dlamini Newcomer of the Year, Mzukulu Male Artist of the Year and Amadodana Ase Wesile Duo or Group of the Year.
Hle’s two victories put her firmly among the leading stories of the night.
For an artist whose SAMA32 campaign was rooted in contemporary faith music, winning one of the awards’ broadest individual categories represents recognition beyond genre boundaries.
Her The Ground We’re On project has therefore delivered more than a genre nomination.
It has produced the Album of the Year and helped Hle secure the title of Female Artist of the Year.