Amapiano
Origins
There is ambiguity and debate concerning its origins, with various accounts of the musical styles in the Johannesburg townships. Because it has a small similarities with Bacardi,[1] some people assert the genre began in Pretoria but it remains uncertain.[2][3][4] Various accounts as to who formed the popular genre make it impossible to accurately pinpoint its origins.[5]
The word amapiano is a IsiZulu or IsiXhosa, or dipiano is a word loosely translated to "the pianos",[6]
The genre is mostly sang in Zulu and Xhosa, Sotho, Setswana, Xitsonga, one of South Africa's native tongues.
Popularity
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.[16][1]
In 2021, an awards ceremony was created that was dedicated to the genre, the South Africa Amapiano Music Awards.[17]
In 2022, the American online music store Beatport added the genre to its platform with its own dedicated charts and playlists.[18]
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.[19]
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.[20] In October 2023, the amapiano song "Water" by South African singer Tyla gained international prominence following a viral Bacardi dance challenge on social media.[21] It became the first song by a South African soloist to enter the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 55 years,[22] and was a top 10 hit in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, the Netherlands, Sweden and New Zealand, where it reached number one.[23]
International artists
The genre's popularity has created a proliferation internationally, where producers attempt to replicate or fuse the sound with other genres for their next hit.
Examples of such is Nigerian artist Davido's "Champion Sound" with South African artist Focalistic. This track was a major hit that led to the surge of Nigerian artists attempting to use the south African sound.
The track "Monalisa" by Lojay featuring Chris Brown contains the signature "log drum", also known as the slit drum and other amapiano percussive elements.[24]
The "Top 50 - Nigeria" Spotify chart contains a plethora of amapiano-inspired songs. Some of the songs are explicitly titled amapiano, such as "Amapiano" by Asake featuring Olamide.[25] This has led to a misconception in the United States that amapiano originates from Nigeria. This can be seen in a recent tweet by American artist Swae Lee, where he tweeted the Nigerian flag, alongside the words "Wait till y'all hear Swae Lee on Amapiano [sic]".[26]
South Korean girl group Le Sserafim took inspiration from amapiano for their track "Smart" off of their third EP, Easy.[27]