A Guide to Women in Amapiano

We’re diving into the South African genre that’s sweeping the globe—and meeting the women at the forefront of amapiano’s meteoric rise.

Amapiano (which translates to “the pianos” in South Africa’s isiZulu language) emerged in the late 2010s as a slower, underground hybrid of deep house, jazz and lounge sounds dominated by synths and the distinctive log drum. Its exact origins are disputed between the cities and townships surrounding Johannesburg and Pretoria but the genre’s influence has spread around the globe. From jazzy ’piano—which centres on instrumentals—to more tech-focused ’piano that leans into more synthesised percussion, and the soulful version which incorporates vocals, amapiano has grown into a chart-topping genre that bends to suit the will of its custodians and spills the the freewheeling energy of the dance floor out into everyday life. One of amapiano’s defining traits is its ability to bring together pre-eminent and emerging artists. It’s also become fertile ground for young artists to establish themselves, to collaborate and to shape the sound in their own image—and most significantly, it’s become a space that has allowed women to take centre stage. For DJ, producer, rapper and singer-songwriter Lady Du—who voiced one of the genre’s biggest hits, 2021’s “Umsebenzi Wethu” (with Busta 929, Mpura, Zuma, Mr JazziQ and Reece Madlisa)—one of the most rewarding aspects of the amapiano scene is its collaborative nature. “We are not just vocalists or artists,” she tells Apple Music. “We don’t just work on music. We literally become family.” Lady Du lauds the way the genre continues to provide opportunities for women and new artists to build their careers. “I think it has given women more attention,” she explains. “It’s not a male-dominated genre. With ’piano, it opens a door for anyone. We are breaking that ‘gatekeepers’ type of mentality. You can literally just today start something and tomorrow you’re the biggest artist in ’piano.” Another of amapiano’s most prolific vocalists, KwaZulu-Natal-born singer-songwriter Nkosazana Daughter, has been the voice of numerous hits, from Wanitwa Mos and Master KG’s 2021 single “Dali Nguwe” and DJ Givy Baby’s “Nomathemba” to Kabza De Small’s 2022 hit “Isoka”. Mirroring the experience of many South African women, the uninhibited storyteller discusses everything from modern romance to spirituality, heritage and her greater ambitions, imbuing her slick sound with deeper meaning. “I want to heal people,” Nkosazana tells Apple Music. “I want them to feel a certain way every time they listen to my music.” Amapiano’s distinctive rhythms, together with its soulful female vocals, showcase the genre’s versatility and make it ripe for uptake around the world—into very different styles of music. Today, artists from Nigeria and Ghana regularly put their spin on the sound, frequently working with South African producers and folding in elements of Afrobeats. International festivals like Afro Nation have given artists the chance to expand their footprint, and even stars from further afield are paying attention. Eswatini-born DJ and producer Lungelihle “Uncle Waffles” Zwane’s viral moment caught the attention of Drake, helping to introduce her sound to the global stage. The Canadian rapper subsequently tapped prolific ’piano producer Kabza De Small to co-produce his 2023 world tour. Incredibly collaborative by nature, the irresistible amapiano sound continues to elevate the profile of the wider African dance scene.

The origins of amapiano date back to the popularisation of house music in South Africa. The early 1990s saw the country’s emerging DJs slowing down house records from the US and UK and reprogramming them as instrumentals more suited to local appetites. After the fall of apartheid, newfound social and legal freedoms gave DJs and artists more access to international sounds, to which they began to add their own vocals—slowly leaving the more politically charged subject matter behind and embracing the everyday storytelling, slang and attitude of the street. This gave rise to kwaito, the fusion of hip-hop and house that incorporates African sounds and samples—and the sound which became the signature of the post-apartheid generation. Artists like Kabza De Small and MFR Souls were behind the genre’s increased popularity—the latter even being credited for giving the sound its name—while Sowetan artist Semi Tee’s track “Labantwana Ama Uber”, a collab with Miano and Kammu Dee, grew from a club anthem and helped amapiano enter the mainstream. The early 2010s saw the rise of the gqom sub-genre, as a new group of young artists sped up kwaito to create raw, hypnotic beats with heavy bass that underpinned lyrical explorations of nightlife. Incubated by COVID-19 lockdowns throughout 2020, the genre continued to flourish, allowing new artists to morph their music into a soundtrack to their culture—an irresistible fusion that spoke to a generation which was keen to get back “outside” and back to “groove” (in terms of both venue and vibe) after months of confinement.

While women in South Africa’s dance and electronic scenes have made their mark in various eras, amapiano intertwined with today’s boundary-free youth culture has allowed them to become its chief custodians. Prior to becoming recording artists, two of the genre’s biggest stars made their names as DJs. Uncle Waffles, who used her downtime during 2020’s COVID lockdowns to learn how to DJ, found fame after a video clip of her dancing to one of her own sets at a nightclub in Soweto went viral in 2021. It was a moment that captured amapiano’s infectious sound, while also all but obliterating the line between DJ and performer. Since then, she has turned her hand to music production, and her debut single, the Tony Duardo, Sino Msolo and BoiBizza collab, “Tanzania”, went seven-times platinum. She has hosted a residency on BBC Radio 1, performed at the Global Citizen Festival in Accra and toured the US and Australia. Waffles then followed the release of her second EP, 2023’s Asylum, with a performance at Coachella—the first amapiano musician to do so. “’Piano deserves to be everywhere,” she tells Apple Music. “It’s such a beautiful experience, but it’s also a high-pressure experience. You have to make sure that the first contact that these people have is a contact that will make sure the door stays open for every other amapiano act, and for them to constantly want the other acts to come out. So there’s a lot of pressure, but there’s so much beauty.” Appearances at Homecoming Africa and Afropunk helped DJ turned recording artist Mandisa “DBN Gogo” Radebe take advantage of studio opportunties to craft a spacious, minimalist interpretation of amapiano. A pulsing, 2020 EP with Dinho, Thokoza Café, helped her emerge, but it was the 2021 track “Khuza Gogo” that became her breakthrough solo single. She followed that with 2021’s “Possible”, then her Lady Du collab “Dakiwe” went viral, due in part to the #DakiweChallenge, an accompanying dance craze which swept social media and nightclubs. DBN Gogo also takes her moniker (‘gogo’ translates to ‘grandmother’ but is often used as a term of respect for elders) seriously. Through her label Zikode Records, she provides a platform for the next generation, giving signees turns as collaborators on her debut LP, Whats Real. “I am honoured and blessed to be representing South Africa and the unique sound of amapiano,” Gogo tells Apple Music. “I want people to dance and enjoy the music, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to push amapiano to the world.”

Often dubbed “queens of amapiano”, the genre’s top women vocalists have collaborated with a variety of producers and DJs across the scene, adding a soulful, meaningful angle and new levels of artistry to the street sound—while also showcasing ’piano’s elasticity. Infusing amapiano with soul, pop and Afrobeats influences, Zimbabwean South African singer-songwriter Sha Sha became a driving force behind the style’s global reach—evidenced by her collaborations with artists ranging from Samthing Soweto, DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small to MFR Souls, Kamo Mphela and Mas Musiq, and culminating in her own 2020 BET Award win for Best New International Act. South African singer-songwriter Ami Faku brings her poignant Afro-soul to teamups with Aymos (“Fatela”) and Nigerian producer Mr Eazi (“Wena”), leaning into amapiano’s flexibility to traverse borders. Singer-songwriter Boohle blends a range of influences to create lyrics with meaning, from gospel-tinged tracks like “Ngixolele” to bass-heavy hits like “Mazikhale”. She’s breathed life into music from genre pioneers like Mr JazziQ, Semi Tee and Josiah De Disciple—including the heartfelt “Mama” and “Inyembezi”.