Diamond Platnumz: Local awards no longer interest me
Diamond Platnumz, real name Naseeb Abdul Juma, performs at the launch of betting firm Game Tosha in Thika Stadium on December 2, 2018. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO.
It is no coincidence that Tanzanian singer Diamond Platnumz and the entire Wasafi Records artistes are missing from this year’s list of nominees for the Tanzania Music Awards (TMA).
Rather, Diamond reveals that he had asked the organisers of the event not to include him in the awards.
Speaking in an interview on Clouds FM, Diamond said he is focusing on winning international awards and not local ones.
He said winning an international award will open doors for other Tanzanian singers to be recognised in the global market.
“I respectfully asked not to be included in the TMA awards because I want to put my focus in winning international awards,” he said.
“When I achieve this, I know it will open doors and inspire other creatives in Tanzania to want to be better and win global awards.”
He added: “(However), I urge everyone to support the awards because they have been organised to help boost the industry. But we should encourage healthy competition and not allow infighting among ourselves, as this is the reason (foreign performers) are able to be ahead of us in the industry,” he said.
The Tanzania Music Awards returned this year after a six-year hiatus. Some of the artistes who made the list are Harmonize (Rajab Kahali), Juma Mkambala or Juma Jux, and Ben Pol (Bernard Paul), who are nominated in the Best Male Bongo Flava category.
Singer Nandy (Faustina Mfinanga) and Rosa Ree (Rosary Robert) have been nominated in the Best Female Bongo Flavor category.
In 2021, Diamond was nominated for the Best International Act prize in the American BET awards.
This was the first time Diamond was picked for the award but he lost to Nigerian singer Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu or Burna Boy.
