Academy of Sound Engineering (ASE) proudly celebrates a powerful presence at the 31st South African Music Awards (SAMAs) . The night honoured not only artists on stage, but the industry professionals, engineers, producers and educators who shape the sound of South African music.
ASE’s Academic Registrar, Sheldon Rocha Leal, played a significant role at the SAMAs for the third consecutive year.
This year, Sheldon had the honour of presenting the Best Engineered Album award, one of the most technically respected categories at the ceremony. The award was presented to Thandisizwa Mazwai for her album Sankofa, engineered by Peter Pearlson, a former ASE lecturer.
Adding to ASE’s presence on the night was Mzi, who attended the SAMAs as an invited guest of Rocket Science.
Mzi’s invitation was directly linked to Rocket Science’s sponsorship of the Best Engineered Album award, the very category presented by Sheldon Rocha Leal. This underscores the strong professional relationships and industry networks that ASE continues to foster across music production, engineering and creative business.
ASE proudly celebrates Clxrity (Charles Shilowa), an ASE alumnus, who received a SAMA nomination this year.
Clxrity’s nomination stands as a powerful achievement in its own right and reflects the calibre of creative and technical talent developed at ASE.
Beyond the awards, Sheldon’s striking red-carpet appearance made a statement of its own. A special mention goes to Nao Serati, who designed the floral-inspired looks Sheldon wore on the night.
From the SAMAs judging panel to the stage, the red carpet and alumni recognition, the evening was a reminder that behind every great artist is a network of skilled professionals.
ASE is immensely proud of Sheldon Rocha Leal, Peter Pearlson, Mzi, Rocket Science, and Clxrity, and of the role we continue to play in shaping South Africa’s music and entertainment industry.
The Academy of Sound Engineering (ASE) recently welcomed back one of its proud alumni, Thabo Damari, Senior Broadcast Engineer at Primedia Broadcasting, for an inspiring session with our current students.
With headphones on and passion ignited early in life, Thabo shared his journey from humble beginnings as a radio logger to leading complex broadcast operations at top stations like 702, 947, and CapeTalk. His visit brought real-world insight into broadcast engineering, emphasizing resilience, consistency, and the importance of mastering both technical theory and practical execution.
Thabo encouraged students to embrace every opportunity—even unexpected ones—and to keep up with evolving technologies like Audio over IP and Livewire. He stressed that while ASE lays the foundation, success comes through persistence, continuous learning, and a proactive mindset.
His story is a testament to how ASE empowers students to grow from curious creators to industry leaders.
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