The amapiano, this South African electronic music conquering the world
DJ Maphorisa (left) and Kabza de Small, in Johannesburg, October 26, 2021. Gallo Images via Getty Images - Gallo Images
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
It is a musical style that spreads all over the planet and that comes to us from South Africa: the amapiano. This electronic music genre is partly responsible for a strong growth of the music industry market in sub-Saharan Africa: +34.7% in 2022 according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. This is the largest increase in the world.
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With our correspondent in Johannesburg,Romain Chanson
In South Africa, the market grew by 31%. Amapiano artists are performing more and more abroad and are exploding the counters of streaming listening. A boon for the industry looking to gain new subscribers.
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It's not really melodic, there's no catchy element, it's more about atmosphere and rhythm. This is how Temi Adeniji, head of Warner Music Africa, describes the amapiano.
► Listen: TROPICAL COLORS - From Kwaito to Amapanio
In 2022, this musical style has generated two billion streams on Spotify. There are over 240,000 amapiano playlists on the platform. 40% of listening is outside South Africa.
A style that inspires Nigerian stars
Kabza de Small and DJ Maphorisa, who play together on the track Adiwele, pull the streaming in a country with four million paying subscribers. We also think of Uncle Waffles or Sho Madjozi for women.
The success of the amapiano is reminiscent of the explosion of Nigerian Afro-beats five years ago. Today, it is the turn of artists from Lagos to infuse their afro-beats into amapiano like Sungba, Asake and Burna Boy. A timely association to continue to dance and attract new paying subscribers.
► Read also: Panorama of amapiano
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- Culture
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- South Africa
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