Nigerian artist Asakehas become a star in his native country thanks to a street-pop fusion that feels resolutely down-to-earth and effortlessly organic, and his standout single “2:30” is a superb example of what he does well, with a rolling amapiano groove, a liquid melody, and a ...
“Amapiano” is a concentrated blast of the Nigerian artist at his most charismatic and braggadocious, both a salute to the titular South African genre and his own swaggering stamp on it. Between trading boasts with rapper Olamide, Asake builds out the track’s skeletal house pulse and ...
The "Water" dance challenge on TikTok further pushed the track into the global sphere, and the song has been featured in over 1.5 million videos. The widespread appeal of "Water" is a culmination of elements, notably a fusion of Western pop with subtler amapiano influences. The song melds...
Amapiano-meets-Afrobeats production cascades beneath a saturated, choir-style vocal top-line that goads a lover to “make me sweat, make me hotter, make me lose her breath, make me water.” The track and its dance are fun, sexy, inspiring, and even a little humbling–since emulating ...
,”“Boy’s a liar Pt. 2”), the pit of despair (“Will Anybody Ever Love Me?,”“Moonless”), the fire to take action (“Namesake,”“It Must Change,”“Pinking Shears”), the joy of the dancefloor (“Installation,”“Rumble,”“Amapiano”), the pleasure of self-affirmation (“...
“Operator,” which ratchets up tension until exploding into chants of “be aggressive, be-be aggressive.”“Fear Evil Like Fire” is breathless and adrenalized, while the buzzing “Lovely Sewer” races toward a dire warning: “You’re always so fly/ But you can’t start a war just for...
The South African genre, with a blend of deep house, jazz, lounge and local musical styles, has captivated the world, generating billions of views on social media and sparking a cultural phenomenon that shows no signs of slowing down. On TikTok alone, the #Amapiano hashtag has amassed over...
We present the best Afrobeats albums of 2023 in the Afrobeats calendar year of January 2023 to November 2023. The success of 2022 received a boost in 2023. This boosting was accomplished through streams, concerts, TikTok challenges, and other means. Global award bodies took notice, and award...
With her first song on social media in 2019 and her first Grammy win in the best African Music Performance category four years later, Tyla has become the new face of African pop. For many listeners, Tyla’s 2023 hit song “Water” was their first taste of the sound of amapiano, which...
The club hosts a string of electrifying parties with themes like the Nevermore Goth Rave, and Amapiano Lights. (You don’t have to know what that means, you just have to show up ready to party.) Drinks at Jimmy + Omakase at Kintsugi: Head to The James Hotel’s chic rooftop bar ...