"Amapiano needs to be a little more; I think we're a little too soft".
With Afrobeats putting Nigeria on the world map, Amapiano is doing the same for South Africa.
Recent Spotify data has shown how in-demand the genre is and how the most extensive playlist on its platform has captivated listeners in the United Kingdom, the U.S., Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
With nearly 2 billion streams in 2022 alone, representing a 143 per cent increase yearly, Spotify says over 40 per cent of Amapiano streams come from listeners outside South Africa.
The startling statistics nonetheless, one of South Africa's female front liners of the genre, Kamo Mphela, says they need not rest on their oars as the propagators of the genre must do more.
23-year-old Mphela became an internet celebrity after her dance videos went viral, and she now has several hits like 'Suka', 'Emabozen' and 'Menemene'.
At a dance studio in Sandton, Johannesburg, she told PREMIUM TIMES that she thinks her colleagues must stop playing small.
"Amapaino needs to be a universal sound, more than anything. It shouldn't just be African for only African people".
Amapiano to the world
Mphela, whose interpolation of dance and music has earned her admiration and widespread appeal, called for collaboration with artistes of different genres and shared her thoughts on the classification of Amapiano music.
"Collaboration means a more extensive reach and platform to showcase who you are and what you're about. Like the song with Ayra Starr, it's more about growth than anything else.
It should be for the whole world, just like hip-hop is a universal genre and not just for Americans. I don't think we should box into a specific category".
While acknowledging the origin of Amapiano as a home-grown South African sound, Mphela, one of the new wave of Gen Z African artistes spared some thoughts for her colleagues.
"Apart from a few things, Amapiano must start fusing the English language. Afrobeats are significant because people can relate to the lyrics, and I think that's probably what we need to do. We're very Zulu, but our reach needs to be better - just a bit of English.
People can still learn Zulu from Amapiano songs. Amapiano needs to be a little more. We're a little too soft. "Amapiano in South Africa is about culture and being humble to everyone, but now if we want to take it to the world, we have to be more. Wizkid and Burna Boy aren't soft about pushing Afrobeats and are aggressive. If we can be more aggressive with our sound, I think we can reach greater heights".
Dance and Amapaino
Even to the non-professional dancer, there is just something about the genre that makes it impossible not to move your feet or burst into some dance steps. That is how infectious the sound is.
Dance is a vital part of Amapiano, so we had Mphela teach us some moves inspired by her recent release, 'Hannah Montana'.
But just before that, she reminisced on her humble beginnings as a budding dancer who found fame on the streets of Instagram sometime in 2020.
" I didn't choose Amapiano; I feel like Amapiano chose me. I blew up early and suddenly got a call like, "Yo, please be on my song." I don't think it was intentional, as much as a God thing happened. Amapiano has changed my life so much and changed the world".
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Most Amapiano songs have dance routines popularised by Instagram influencers and Tiktokers. The songs typically mimic the lyrics just as the Tiktokers ensure the tracks go viral.
Mphela, who has toured major cities worldwide singing and performing as a dancer, corroborates the genre's impact.
"In Paris and London, they even sing the lyrics to you. I don't get it. It's crazy. Dance and Amapaino have their spirit, and I don't think one can exist without the other; they are inseparable. Micheal Jackson came through with his dance moves, same with South Africa.
Dancing and music are universal and can't exist without each other. For me, it's just a thing of, "I can do both, so I'll do it", the singer noted as she taught the dance routines of her latest hit song, Hannah Montana.
