Live from South Africa: The Ascent of Amapiano and the Impact on UK Clubbing & Concert Culture
Graphic by Steven Walker/OGRE Studio
This is the final part in a three-part series exploring Amapiano in collaboration with SoundCloud's artificial intelligence music tech company, Musiio; and music streaming & social data platform Chartmetric.
By Christine Osazuwa | 29th June 2023
Introduction
We are Shoobs, a dynamic event platform based in the UK, dedicated to connecting artists, promoters, and music enthusiasts through live events and experiences. We believe in the transformative power of events, where music tells a story, bringing people together and creating unforgettable moments.
Shoobs has played a pivotal role in introducing and showcasing music and culture from the African diaspora for almost a decade. While African music has often been synonymous with the popular afrobeats genre, we recognized the importance of embracing musical diversity and providing a platform for genres that were gaining global recognition. With a staunchly dance sound, amapiano is giving a voice to Black, Brown, and queer artists who were previously underrepresented in dance and electronic music. Through our events, we aim to shed light on the vibrant journey of amapiano, highlighting their impact on the music landscape and celebrating their contributions to the cultural fabric of the UK.
2017 to 2018:
First Gqom Events in the UK
South Africa's gqom music was a catalyst to what has become amapiano. (See Musiio's exploration of the sonics of amapiano for more). Several notable events have played a significant role in introducing and promoting the genres of Gqom in the UK. The first event on Shoobs was August 2017: “The #Ezomgido ft Busiswa Gobis'qolo tour”, which showcased the vibrant energy and infectious beats of Gqom music spotlighting South African singer-songwriter and poet, Busiwa debut album to enthusiastic audiences. Two years later, Busiswa would be featured on Beyonce’s The Lion King: The Gift album on the track “My Power”.
Furthermore, the HOUSEvsGQOM UK INVASION in London and Birmingham were two landmark events that showcased the dynamic clash between House and Gqom music. These events brought together renowned artists and DJs from South Africa and the UK, fostering cultural exchange and highlighting the diversity of African music beyond mainstream genres.
Through electrifying performances and energetic sets, these early events demonstrated the growing influence and global appeal of Gqom and its evolution into the vibrant Amapiano genre.
October 2019:
First Major UK Amapiano Tours
The first mention of amapiano on Shoobs was "Xavier's Summer BBQ" in London that took place in August 2019. Just a few months later, in October 2019, following the release of the 3x South African platinum EP, Piano Hub with DJ Maphorisa, the UK witnessed the arrival of one of amapiano's leading pioneers, Kabza De Small. Embarking on a major UK tour, Kabza De Small performed at various events, including shows in Glasgow and Manchester. These events became pivotal moments for amapiano in the UK, drawing significant attention and establishing amapiano's presence in the UK club & music scene.
Early 2020 to Summer 2021: The Sounds of Lockdowns
Just a few years ago, amapiano was a relatively unknown genre outside of its native South Africa. London DJ Razzler Man describes amapiano as the "genre of the lockdown," with many people discovering it during the global pandemic. Amapiano was discovered through online sets and many fell in love with its electrifying vibes. Artists such as Major League DJz played a significant role in introducing amapiano to UK audiences, garnering widespread interest and making it a global phenomenon.
During the global COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, Major League DJz created innovative and highly successful online events that brought the Amapiano experience directly to fans around the world. One of their most notable initiatives was the Balcony Mix, a series of live-streamed DJ sets performed from their balcony in South Africa. Though their balcony series started before the pandemic, the format thrived during lockdowns. These sets quickly gained popularity and became a cultural phenomenon, attracting millions of viewers and creating a sense of unity and excitement during a time of isolation. The mixes became a platform to introduce new amapiano tracks, promote emerging artists, and celebrate the genre's unique sound and culture. In August 2021, they had one of their first post-lockdown events with Focalistic known as The Kings of Amapiano.
While not squarely in the amapiano genre, immense attention fell to South Africa in early 2020 due to Master KG’s gospel-house track “Jerusalema” which became a sleeper hit and viral dance craze during the early days of the pandemic. With the release of the remix with afrobeats star, Burna Boy in June 2020 saw a mashup of Zulu & Yuroba resulting in Gold & Platinum certifications across Europe and the original version going Gold in both the UK & US.
August 2021:
First Major UK Festival Amapiano Stage
With the lifting of lockdowns, August 30th, 2021, witnessed a major milestone for amapiano in the UK with the 4 Corners Festival in Hertfordshire. This festival became the first major UK festival to dedicate a stage specifically to amapiano known as the ‘Tribal House’ stage. The festival celebrated a wide range of genres, including afrobeats, all urban, bashment, dancehall, hip-hop, house, R&B, reggae, soca, soul, UK garage, and drum 'n' bass. The dedicated amapiano stage showcased both international and UK amapiano artists and DJs, bringing the electrifying vibes of the genre to a larger audience.
Tribal House Stage Line Up:
Supa D, Wigman, DJ GGB, Angie B, Anthony Ranz, Mr Taffa, Simone Martinez, DJ Petchy, Anton Sorhaindo, J Murray, DJ Intuit, DJ Knetik, DJ Runaway, Rodney B, Frost, Spidey G, Gemini, Dogtaniun, 3Dom, Simply & Fro
September 2021:
First Major UK Festival Dedicated to Amapiano
The year 2021 marked yet another significant milestone with the first dedicated amapiano festival in the UK, AMA FEST 2021. Held on September 4th, the festival took place at the South of England Showground in Ardingly. AMA FEST aimed to create an immersive experience for lovers of amapiano music, celebrating the genre's electrifying vibes, international and UK artists, and South African culture, dance, and food. This festival showcased the growing popularity of amapiano and its ability to captivate audiences with its infectious rhythms and melodic grooves.
End of 2021 to 2022:
Monumental Growth and a Year of Firsts
End of December 2021 into 2022 saw a monumental growth in Amapiano events with many making the pilgrimage to Ghana & Nigeria for the (party) holiday season before major Spring tours. Crowned the “Princess of Amapiano,” Uncle Waffles embarked on her first UK tour with DJ Maphorisa and Focalistic in Spring 2022.
Summer brought the first ever Pioneer Plays Festival with Uncle Vinny’s first UK event. AMA Fest returned for year 2 with Uncle Vinny as well as Cassper Nyovest and Mellow & Sleazy as headliners. The duo, known as the Godfathers of Amapiano, Scorpion Kings (Kabza de Small & DJ Maphorisa), headlined the first ever Amapiano event at legendary 6,000 cap London venue, Printworks, in December 2022 and Soul Session’s Boxing Day Special featuring tribal house, soulful house, and afro tech at yet another legendary UK venue, Fabric.
2023 and the Future
In 2023, Uncle Waffles became the first amapiano artist to perform at Coachella; Major League DJz completed a 4 week residency in London; ChopLife SoundSystem led by Mr. Eazi and DJ Edu announced their inaugural world tour blending amapiano, afrobeats and afrodance and the third AMA Fest will take place in Hertfordshire in September 2023. Amapiano and subsequently, afro house will continue to be a driving force to expand what music out of Africa sounds like. With sold-out events and monumental growth, amapiano and afro house have become impossible to ignore.
Shoobs has been at the forefront of showcasing the vibrant journey of South African music, bringing genres like Gqom and Amapiano to the forefront and highlighting their impact on the UK music landscape. Through collaborations and unforgettable performances, we've seen the gap between South African and UK artists close, resulting in a beautiful fusion of cultures and sounds.
What makes amapiano truly special is it's unique sound, it's fiercely independent scene and the events that bring everyone together. Each part tells the story of the rise of amapiano.
Read each part of this three part Amapiano series to hear the whole story:
Part 1: Sonic Evolution (as told through Musiio by SoundCloud)
Part 2: Playlist Evolution (as told through Chartmetric)
Part 3: Events Evolution (as told through Shoobs)