Amapiano

History

Amapiano is a South African music genre that became popular in the early 2020s ^s1. It mixes kwaito, deep house, gqom, jazz, soul and lounge music ^s1. The name comes from the Zulu word for 'pianos' ^s1. The music uses piano melodies, deep bass and a wide percussion sound ^s1. Its well-known sound is the log drum, an electronic bass drum that gives amapiano its rhythm ^s1. There is no single founder, and the exact origin is debated ^s1. Producers spread tracks through CDs and WhatsApp groups ^s2. The music grew fast on social media and in dance videos ^s1. Artists such as Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa and MFR Souls became leaders of the scene ^s2. In 2021 a dedicated amapiano awards ceremony began ^s1. In 2022 the online store Beatport gave amapiano its own charts ^s1. Tyla's song 'Water' carried the sound to a worldwide audience in 2023 ^s1.

Sound

• Piano melodies and chords
• The deep log drum bass
• Slow, relaxed tempo
• Airy pads and shakers
• Vocals in South African languages

Key figures

• Kabza De Small — South African producer, a leader of amapiano
• DJ Maphorisa — South African producer and DJ in the scene
• MFR Souls — South African duo with an early amapiano hit
• Kelvin Momo — Producer linked to the soulful amapiano sound

Labels

• Piano Hub — Johannesburg , 2020
• Kalawa Jazmee — Johannesburg , 1992
• Blaq Boy Music — Johannesburg , 2019

Defining tracks

• Kabza De Small — Sponono (2019) YouTube
• Focalistic feat. Vigro Deep — Ke Star (2020) YouTube
• MFR Souls feat. DJ Maphorisa, Sha Sha & Kabza De Small — Love You Tonight (2019) YouTube

Connections

Came from: Kwaito , Deep House , Afro House

Sources

1. Amapiano — Wikipedia
2. Scratcha DVA & Razzler Man Offer Their Gqom and Amapiano Picks — Bandcamp Daily (2021)