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.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a South African male choral group singing in the local vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They became known internationally after singing with American Paul Simon on his 1986 album Graceland. They have since won multiple awards, including five Grammy Awards the fifth of which they dedicated to the late former South African President Nelson Mandela.
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.
46664 was a series of AIDS benefit concerts played in honour of Nelson Mandela by South African and foreign musicians between 2003 and 2008.
Bongo Maffin is a South African kwaito music group, formed by Zimbabwe-born DJ Jah Seed in Johannesburg in 1996. They released their first studio album, Leaders of D’Gong (1997), followed by The Concerto (1998), Bongolution (2001), and New Construction (2005). The four-member group consisted of Stone Seate, Jah Seed, Speedy, and lead vocalist Thandiswa Mazwai, who released her debut solo album, Zabalaza, in 2006, after the group split up. The group reunited in 2019 and released a new album, From Bongo With Love.
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.
Zabalaza is the first solo album release from the South African musical performer, Thandiswa Mazwai. Before this album, Thandiswa was most famously known as the lead singer for the kwaito group Bongo Maffin. Zabalaza incorporates elements of kwaito, traditional Xhosa music, mbaqanga, reggae, and gospel music.
Motswako is a subgenre of hip hop originating from South Africa additionally prominently popularized in Botswana. Mafikeng, the genre's origin point, is located close to the border of Botswana, where Setswana (Tswana) is predominantly spoken similar to Mafikeng. Motswako blends rap lyrics in local languages like Setswana with English over a steady beat. It also incorporates languages such as Sesotho, Zulu and Afrikaans depending on the artist's background. Popularized by South African acts like HHP and Baphixile in the late nineties, it gained a significant following among local audiences. Many emerging artists in South Africa use motswako as a foundation for their music careers due to its accessible principles, emphasizing creative writing skills crucial for mastering the genre. South Africa and Botswana boast a substantial pool of motswako artists, although female representation remains limited.
Blk Jks, stylized BLK JKS, are a South African rock band from Johannesburg, formed in 2000.
Mandla Daniel Mofokeng is a kwaito musician, singer and producer known as "Spikiri" from Meadowlands, Soweto and a member of the Kwaito group Trompies
The 2010 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony took place on 11 June at the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg, two hours before the opening match of the tournament. The ceremony started at 2pm local time and lasted 40 minutes. The ceremony involved 1500 performers, including American superstar R.Kelly, Thandiswa Mazwai, Timothy Moloi, Hugh Masekela, Khaled, Femi Kuti, Osibisa, TKZee, Hip Hop Pantsula and the Soweto Gospel Choir. During the ceremony, the tournament was declared opened by President Jacob Zuma.
Oscar Sibonginkosi Mdlongwa is a South African recording artist, DJ, record producer and businessman. Having been in the music industry for over 26 years, Oskido has reached a prominent status in the South African music industry, more-so in popular youth culture. He is undoubtedly one of the pioneering artists that popularised the Kwaito genre of music outside of the townships of South Africa, and he's been central to the rise of Afro-house and opened doors for the new genre known as amapiano. Oskido is the co-founder of Kalawa Jazmee Records, a record label that is home to musical acts like Mafikizolo, Bongo Maffin, and many other foremost groups.
Busiswa Gqulu, known mononymously as Busiswa, is a South African singer-songwriter and poet. Born in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa, she gained public recognition for her feature on DJ Zinhle's song, "My Name Is", after being discovered by Kalawa Jazmee's CEO Oskido.
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.
Amapiano, a South African music genre taken from the Nguni language 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.
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.
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.
Mandisa Radebe professionally known as DBN Gogo, is a South African DJ and music producer. Born in Durban and raised in Pretoria, she gained local attention following release of her debut single "Khuza Gogo", which was certified Platinum in South Africa.
