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Joyous Celebration choir

Durban. – Award-winning gospel group Joyous Celebration have chosen to “step aside” from this year’s Metro FM Music Awards‚ just over a week before the glitzy ceremony is set to take place in Durban.

The group was nominated in the Best Urban Gospel Album category for their album Joyous 20‚ but announced this week that they wished to withdraw their nomination.

The group was nominated in the same category as Dr Tumi (Love & Grace)‚ Lebo Sekgobela (Restored)‚ We Will Worship (Mmuso) and Khaya Mthethwa (The Dawn).

In a statement the group claimed that they had been nominated by accident‚ after their record label made the error of sending in their album for consideration.

The group explained that they withdrew the nomination to give fresh talent a chance.

“As many may know we are all about the growth and development of up-and-coming artists which is our main reason for not entering music awards other than the DVD sales category at the Samas.

“Joyous Celebration feel that the gospel genre would be better served by passing the baton on to the new and exciting emerging gospel acts out of South Africa currently‚” the statement read.

The group will instead be performing in Lesotho on the night of the awards.

SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago told TshisaLIVE that they had met with Joyous Celebration and that it would not affect their preparations for the show.

“We had a meeting with them and told them that voting had already closed and they would have to participate. It is a matter between them (Joyous Celebration) and Sony. With regards to the awards‚ everything will go on as usual‚” Kaizer said. — Sowetan.