IS RITZ MORE POPULAR THAN JAH PRAYZAH OR IT’S JUST A ‘FAKE’ RESULT. . . Social media star picked FOUR times more votes than Jah

IS Ritz Mcleish the SECOND most popular artist in Zimbabwe right now?Zimpapers publication access

Is she more popular than Jah Prayzah?

These are not questions being asked by a madman.

These are questions which have been provoked by the stunning results in the race for the NAMA People’s Choice award race.Made in Zimbabwe branding

Somehow, against all odds, Ritz – the social media personality who now spends most of her time doing some outrageous skirts with her partner DJ Towers – thrashed heavyweight musician Jah Prayzah in the race for SILVER.

Winky D won the award and Jah Prayzah finished third.

The two are widely regarded as the biggest names on the Zimbabwean music scene.

The expectation was that either Winky or Jah would win the award, which has been dominated by the ‘Siya’ hitmaker for years.

And, the loser would be the one who gets the silver medal.

But, the voting statistics, which were officially released by NAMA on Tuesday night, produced a shocker.

While Winky D won the award, his biggest challenge came from Ritz and Jah Prayzah finished a distant third.

Incredibly, Ritz received about FOUR times more votes than what Jah Prayzah got.

She won 29,417 more votes than what Jah Prayzah received.

Winky D took the largest share of votes after getting 45,218 votes.

Ritz took second place with 39,812 votes while Jah Prayzah picked 10,395 votes.

Prince Chigwida came last with 4,818 votes.

The social media star was even shocked by her performance give that many analysts questioned her inclusion among the heavyweights in the first place.

“Thank you so much my fans,” she wrote on her social media pages.

“I can’t believe I emerged second, this is a huge moment in my career.

“From Zambezi to Limpopo, you’ve shown that loyalty wins. I’m humbled and grateful.”

She didn’t shy away from addressing her critics.

“Some were saying I don’t deserve it, but the numbers don’t lie. I am loved by the people and, today, that love has been proven.

“For those who kept questioning, the people have spoken. Every vote counted, and your support made this happen.

“To those feeling salty, this is what happens when the people vote.

“You can’t oppose the majority. Every single vote counted, and the people have spoken.”

Social media reactions were as fiery as expected.

Some commentators argued Ritz didn’t belong among the heavyweights, questioning her place, especially in the company of the industry’s big guns.

Others celebrated her surprising finish, calling it a win for up-and-coming artists and a testament to the power of grassroots fan support.

“Emerging second in such a competitive category isn’t luck,” said Beatrice Mapanga on social media.

“It shows Ritz has built a connection with fans that rivals even long-standing acts.

“The transparency of NAMA’s voting release was crucial – fans can see that every vote mattered, and that legitimacy removes any doubt of bias.” NAMA confirmed that all votes were verified, audited, and counted fairly.

“This ensures trust in the process,” Mapanga added.

“Fans can see exactly how their votes impacted the outcome.”

The People’s Choice Award proved that public support can rival long-term industry clout.

From social media campaigns to offline mobilisation, Ritz’s fan base showed its strength, turning the award into a tangible measure of her popularity and loyalty.

“Ritz emerging second shows that influence, engagement, and fan connection are just as important as longevity or record sales,” said one analyst.

“The people truly have the final say.”

There will be questions, though.

Does it mean that Ritz’s second-place finish cements her position as one of Zimbabwe’s most loved artists?Made in Zimbabwe branding

Or, was this just a protest vote, which was fuelled by the questions over her eligibility to be included among the heavyweights in the race for the People’s Choice award?

Maybe, as some are suggesting, this was just a youthful movement which wanted to demonstrate that it has the power to be felt and it rallied en-masse behind someone they view as one of them and who was challenging the establishment in the industry.

Whatever it was, there is no denying that it produced a result which has rocked the local entertainment industry.

H-metro