The scooping of Oc Bulan’s Best Oviritje award for her song /Gai goro !nans di a featuring producer P-Flat at the NAMAs 2020 sent shockwaves as many couldn’t believe a Damara Punch musician would scoop such an award and are still questioning whether it is an Oviritje song.

Officially known as Bulan Matsuis, the Damara Punch musician said the song is in Khoe-Khoegowab but with an Oviritje beat to it. 
“The beat I used is an Oviritje one but then I sang in Khoe-Khoegowab. I am not an Oviritje artist, I did it for my father who is an OmuHimba, I wish he was even alive so that he can see what I did for him,” she told Entertainment Now! yesterday. She was nominated in the Best Oviritje category alongside Diop, Kuku Nkandanga, Mulberry and Otjinate. The winning song is lifted off her album Op Dai Level, which was released last year in October. Responding to comments on social media about her not deserving of the award as she is not an Oviritje musician, Oc Bulan said it is perfectly normal for people to feel that way. “This is my hard work, it’s the work I did. It is not a big deal they feel that way. I did a very good job on my track so it’s not a big deal,” she pressed. She hinted on other musicians to try out other genres as well. “If your preferred category doesn’t work and you are passionate about music, try other genres. A musician is someone who is supposed to try every genre. Just because you are a Damara Punch artist doesn’t mean you have to stay one. There is my luck, I hardly win in my category which is Damara Punch and the first time I try another genre I get an award,” she advised and stated.

Oc Bulan is an experimenter as she has also been nominated in the Best Reggae category in 2017. “I normally try different genres, I love that, I have to work with different genres,” believed Oc Bulan.

The musician bared to Entertainment Now! she is working on a single slated to be released next month and then an album which she will be released next year. “I will be realising a free track to give thanks and appreciation to my supporters, free of charge to the public to show gratitude for the immense support they have given me,” she said.

Oc Bulan said: “This year has been a tough one for most of us, we need to reboot and come back stronger next year.”
To those who were nominated in the Best Oviritje category, Oc Bulan said they are all winners. “Just because I walked away with this award doesn’t mean I am better than them, although there can only be one winner.” She has been working with her Walvis Bay-based producer Patrick P-Flat Thaniseb for seven years and they are still going strong. “He must just hang in there, he is great at what he does,” she said.
This weekend, apart from Best Oviritje, musicians vied for Best Afrikaans, which was scooped by Antany Knows, Best Soukous/Kwasa was bagged by PDK, making it their third win.

In the Damara Punch category, Dixon arose triumphant by beating the likes of Kaptein Twazis, Lettie, Adora and Ou Stakes in a rather hotly contested category.  “I am pleased with the progress we have made with the eight-weekend NAMA Premium shows. So far, we have delivered all the shows with the best possible quality and the artists have certainly brought their part. We have now concluded five weekends and have three more to go,” said NAMAs executive chairperson Tim Ekandjo.
Best Rap/Hip Hop, Best R&B, Song of the Year and Best Pan African Artist of the Year are categories being awarded this weekend.
– psiririka@nepc.com.na