By Kampala Sun writer
Tanzanian singer Diamond Platnumz has done a Jose Chameleone. He insists he is no longer interested in local awards and his focus is on international accolades.
The development comes after Platnumz and the entire Wasafi Records artistes missed on this year’s list of nominees for the Tanzania Music Awards (TMA).
“I respectfully asked not to be included in the TMA awards because I want to put my focus on winning international awards,” he said.
Speaking in an interview, 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.
Diamond 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.”
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 Burna Boy.
