Amapiano | |
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Stylistic origins | |
Cultural origins | Mid-2010s (disputed), in Gauteng, |
Typical instruments | |
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Fusion genres | |
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Amapiano, a South African music genre taken from the Zulu word for "pianos", is a subgenre of kwaito and house music that emerged in South Africa in the mid-2010s. It is a hybrid of deep house, gqom, jazz, soul and lounge music characterized by synths and wide, percussive basslines.
There is ambiguity and debate concerning its origins, with various accounts of the musical styles in the Johannesburg townships. [1] [2] [3] [4] Because it has some similarities with bacardi house, [5] [6] some people assert the genre began in Pretoria but it remains uncertain. [7] [8] [9] Various accounts of who formed the popular genre make it impossible to accurately pinpoint its origins. [4] [10]
The word amapiano is a Zulu word that can be loosely translated to "the pianos", [11] [12] [13] The genre is mostly sung in one of South Africa's indigenous languages such as Zulu, Xhosa, and Southern Sotho, Northern Sotho, Setswana, English, Xitsonga, Tshivenda.
Amapiano is distinguished by piano melodies, deep house, soul, kwaito and log drum basslines. The genre's sample packs often incorporate sounds sourced from gqom music. Bacardi, is often misperceived either as a subgenre of amapiano or having emerged in the 2020s. [14] [3] [15] [16] [17] [5]
A popular element of the genre is the use of the log drum (an electronic version of the West African originating log drum), [18] [19] a wide percussive bassline, which was popularized in amapiano music by several producers such as MDU aka TRP. According to one of the amapiano pioneers, Kabza De Small, he asserts that:
"I don't know what happened. I don't know how he figured out the log drum. Amapiano music has always been there, but he's the one who came up with the log drum sound. These boys like experimenting. They always check out new plug-ins. So when MDU figured it out, he ran with it." [20]
The use of an electronic or the log drum sound in African music predates amapiano although the contrary is often misperceived, and was possibly developed from the traditional or acoustic West African log drum by kwaito pioneer M'du (also known as Mdu Masilela). [19] [21] [18]
Afropiano also referred to as Nigerian amapiano, a blend of afrobeats and amapiano, gained prominence in the early 2020s as a popular variant of afrobeats. Pioneers of the genre include Clemzy and L.A.X. [22] [23]
Bique employs a prominently undulated log drum sound and derives its name from the Southeastern African country, Mozambique. Notable illustrations of bique are "Ize (Bique Mix)" by ZanTen and DJ SOL K, FOI and Jay Music’s "Bique (Deep Groove)", songs. [17]
Bongopiano is a fusion genre that blends bongo flava music and amapiano, emerging in Tanzania during the 2020s. In the 2020s, numerous prominent Tanzanian musical artists including Diamond Platnumz, Marioo, Harmonize, Nandy, Jux, Mbosso and Zuchu released notable bongopiano songs. [24]
In the mid-2010s circa early 2020s, Gqom 2.0 emerged as a subgenre of gqom, [25] [26] alongside other gqom variants for instance 3-Step and sgubhu. [27] [28] [29] Gqom 2.0 is distinguished by a slowed-down tempo fused with elements of amapiano, afrohouse and afrotech. [26]
New Age Bacardi denotes the fusion of bacardi with amapiano that emerged circa mid-2021 illustrated by the Mellow & Sleazy track "Trust Fund" which featured Kabza De Small, Mpura, Focalistic and DJ Maphorisa. DJ Maphorisa highlighted that Pretoria-based record producers played a key role in merging the musical styles and that the pace of new age bacardi had been slowed-down from the original fast-paced bacardi tempos. [6]
Ojapiano is a fusion of the traditional Igbo instrument Ọjà and subgenre of amapiano which emerged in Nigeria in the early 2020s. The term was coined by Kcee in the 2020s. There have been several pioneers of the genre since its emergence including Kcee, Snazzy the Optimist, Oxlade and renowned American pop rock band OneRepublic. [30] [31] [32] [33]
Popiano blends pop with amapiano. [34] A notable illustration is the 2021 single "Overdue" by record producers Kooldrink, DJ Lag and singer, Tyla which showcased a fusion of popiano and gqom. [35] Since popiano's inception Tyla has been deemed "The Queen of Popiano". [34]
Private school piano also known as soulful amapiano is distinguished by its use of shakers, mellow log drum sounds and progressive chord sequences. Private school piano is primarily credited to Kelvin Momo. The genre frequently incorporates live instrumentation, including the guitar, saxophone, violin and trumpet. [36]
Quantum sound is a genre characterized by re-edits, fundamentally rooted in and influenced by gqom, particularly the taxi kick style. The genre is attributed to several record producers including RealShaunMusiq, Sizwe Nineteen and Nandipha808. [37]
In 2019, the genre experienced increased popularity across the African continent, with noted increases in digital streams and chart successes in countries far from its South African origin. [38] [39]
In 2021, an awards ceremony was created that was dedicated to the genre, the South Africa Amapiano Music Awards. [40]
In 2022, the American online music store Beatport added the genre to its platform with its own dedicated charts and playlists. [41]
The genre was popular amongst young people on social media platforms, where videos using amapiano music were uploaded, which fueled the dancing scene in South Africa. [42]
Amapiano music has always been dominated mainly by men. Social media users in South Africa are constantly fighting to change the narratives about how they helped the country advance.[ how? ] [43] In October 2023, the afrobeats and amapiano fusion song "Water" by Tyla gained international prominence following a viral bacardi house dance challenge on social media. [44] It became the first song by a South African soloist to enter the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 55 years, [45] and was a top 10 hit in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, the Netherlands, Sweden and New Zealand, where it reached number one. [46]
South Korean girl group Le Sserafim took inspiration from amapiano for their track "Smart" off of their third EP, Easy . [47] Chinese rapper Vinida Weng blended amapiano with Fujianese rap for her track "Waiya!". [48]
House is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 115–130 beats per minute. It was created by DJs and music producers from Chicago's Black gay underground club culture and evolved slowly in the early/mid 1980s as DJs began altering disco songs to give them a more mechanical beat. By early 1988, House became mainstream and supplanted the typical 80s music beat.
The music of South Africa exhibits a culturally varied musical heritage in conjunction with the multi-ethnic populace. Genres with the greatest international recognition being mbube, isicathamiya, mbaqanga, afrofusion, kwaito, South African pop music, afro house, South African hip hop, Shangaan electro, bacardi house, bolo house, gqom and amapiano.
Kwaito is a music genre that emerged in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, between the late 1980s and 1990s. It is a variant of house music that features the use of African sounds and samples. Kwaito songs occur at a slower tempo range than other styles of house music and often contain catchy melodic and percussive loop samples, deep bass lines and vocals.
The Zulu people are a South African ethnic group. Many Zulu musicians have become a major part of South African music, creating a huge influence in the music industry. A number of Zulu-folk derived styles have become well known across South Africa and abroad. Zulu music has dominated many genres in South Africa, especially house music, folk music, acapella, choral music and gospel. In fact, some of the most popular songs from South Africa are in isiZulu.
Triple metre is a musical metre characterized by a primary division of 3 beats to the bar, usually indicated by 3 (simple) or 9 (compound) in the upper figure of the time signature, with 3
4, 3
8 and 9
8 being the most common examples. In these signatures, beats form groups of three, establishing a triple meter feel in the music or song.The upper figure being divisible by three does not of itself indicate triple metre; for example, a time signature of 6
8 usually indicates compound duple metre, and similarly 12
8 usually indicates compound quadruple metre.
The South African Music Awards are the Recording Industry of South Africa's music industry awards, established in 1995. The ceremony is held annually, usually in late April or May, with the judging process starting in November of the previous year. The nominations are typically announced at the end of March. The winners receive a gold-plated statuette called a SAMA.
Themba Sekowe, known professionally as DJ Maphorisa, is a South African DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter. As a record producer with a blend of house music, amapiano and afropop, he has worked with and has received production credits from several notable artists, including Wizkid, Sizwe Alakine, Kwesta, Uhuru, Drake, Black Coffee, Major Lazer, Runtown, C4 Pedro, TRESOR, Kabza De Small, Era Istrefi, Mpura, Young Stunna and Killer Kau. He was signed to Kalawa Jazmee Records prior to establishing his own record label, BlaqBoy Music.
Gqom, gqom tech, sgubhu, 3-Step or G.Q.O.M) is an African electronic dance music genre and subgenre of house music, that emerged in the early 2010s from Durban, South Africa, pioneered and innovated by music producers Naked Boyz, Rudeboyz, Sbucardo, Griffit Vigo, Nasty Boyz, DJ Lag, Menzi Shabane, Distruction Boyz and Citizen Boy.
The 25th Annual South African Music Awards ceremony was held at the Sun City Arena in North West on June 1, 2019. It aired live on SABC 1. The show was hosted by Bob Mabena, Melanie Bala, Twasa Seoke and hip-hop star Khuli Chana.
Afrobeats, not to be confused with Afrobeat or Afroswing, is an umbrella term to describe popular music from West Africa and the diaspora that initially developed in Nigeria, Ghana, and the UK in the 2000s and 2010s. Afrobeats is less of a style per se, and more of a descriptor for the fusion of sounds flowing majorly out of Nigeria. Genres such as hiplife, jùjú music, highlife, azonto music, and naija beats, among others, were amalgamated under the "Afrobeats" umbrella.
MFR Souls is a South African amapiano music duo founded in 2012 by Tumelo Nedondwe and Tumelo Mabe, both of whom are DJ and music producers from Katlehong in the East Rand of Johannesburg. Their hit single "Love You Tonight" was commercial success certified platinum in South Africa.
Sandile Fortune Msimango, popularly known by his stage name Young Stunna is a South African singer. He is known for his hit singles "Bopha" and "Adiwele". He has also extensively worked with record producers DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small.
Kamogelo Matona, known professionally as Kamo Mphela, is a South African dancer and singer. She became an internet celebrity after she posted a video of her dancing on her social media account.
Kabelo Petrus Motha is a South African DJ and record producer, popularly known as Kabza De Small. He is a major figure in the amapiano genre of house music. Aside from his solo career, Motha is a member of the Scorpion Kings. Motha gained international recognition after the release of "Umshove", in 2018.
Tyla Laura Seethal, known mononymously as Tyla, is a South African singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Johannesburg, she signed with Epic Records in 2021 following the domestic success of her 2019 debut single, "Getting Late".
"Water" is a song by South African singer Tyla from her debut studio album Tyla (2024). It was released on 28 July 2023 through Fax and Epic Records as the lead single from the album. An amapiano song with elements of pop, R&B and afrobeats, it sees Tyla expressing a desire for a passionate and intimate tryst. Remix versions of the song featuring American rapper Travis Scott and record producer Marshmello were both released on 17 November 2023.
Thuthuka Wandile Zindlovu, prominently known as Dlala Thukzin is a South African DJ and record producer born and bred in Lamontville, KwaZulu-Natal. He is famous for his versatility of blending amapiano and afro tech with gqom.
Afro tech, is a sub-genre of house music and afro house which originates and is predominantly made in South Africa. It emerged in the 2010s. South African DJs and music producers who popularized the genre include Black Coffee, Culoe De Song, Bekzin Terris, Euphonik, Punk Mbedzi, DJ Tira, Zakes Bantwini, Shimza and Da Capo.
Tyla is the debut studio album by South African singer Tyla. It was released on 22 March 2024 through Fax and Epic Records. Capitalizing on her international breakthrough with its lead single "Water", the album includes guest appearances from Kelvin Momo, Tems, Gunna, Skillibeng, Becky G and Travis Scott. Tyla blends elements of amapiano, pop, afrobeats and R&B, and its lyrical themes include empowerment and relationships.
Marvin Ramalepe, widely known as DJ Spoko was a South African record producer and DJ. He gained fame for co-producing DJ Mujava's, "Township Funk" as well as his pioneering work in bacardi house.