Somehow, despite fears that the genre had reached its ceiling, amapiano has been able to reach new heights in 2023.
More global stars are jumping onto the wave, more international festivals are acknowledging local talents, and we’re seeing even more viral TikTok hits than ever before.
While traditional heavyweights like DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, Felo Le Tee, Mr Jazzi Q and DBN Gogo haven’t been as prominent as they used to be, other players have stepped in to fill the void in a big way.
Here are the biggest amapiano hits of the year (so far):
‘Mnike’ by Tyler ICU, Tumelo_za, DJ Maphorisa, Nandipha808 and Ceeka RSA
Tyler ICU’s ‘Mnike’ has taken the world by storm since its release in April.
In just four months, it’s become the most streamed amapiano song ever and it still seems like it’s gaining even more momentum.
Could this become the first piano song to touch 100 million streams? I wouldn’t bet against it.
‘Yahyuppiyah’ by Uncle Waffles, Tony Duardo, Justin99, Pcee, Chley, EeQue
‘Yahyuppiyah’ was a huge hit on TikTok long before international DJ sensation Uncle Waffles released the official audio on streaming platforms.
The song’s infectious dance challenge has driven it to tens of millions of streams over the past few months and her increasing global popularity is pushing it (and the genre) even further.
‘Awukhuzeki’ - DJ Stokie, Omit ST, Zee_nhle and Sobzeen
DJ Stokie's ‘Awukhuzeki’ recently made a huge statement when it officially dethroned Tyler ICU’s ‘Mnike’ after a 14-week reign atop both the Local Top 100 Chart and the International Top 200 Chart on “The Official SA Charts”.
With the song still gaining momentum, it may very well continue to top charts for a while longer.
‘Gangnam Style’ - Mas Musiq, Daliwonga, DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small
After a rare dry patch, Daliwonga came back with a bang on ‘Gangnam Style’.
Mas Musiq, DJ Mpahorisa and Kabza De Small provided the perfect platform for him to showcase his prodigious talents with one of the most well constructed productions of the year.
‘Hamba Juba’ by Lady Amar, Cici, JL SA and Murumba Pitch
Lady Amar and Cici’s ‘Hamba Juba’ is perhaps the most unexpected amapiano hit of the year so far.
Cici, a hugely talented afro pop vocalist, had yet to make her mark on the genre, and little was known of Lady Amar. But the song’s success has propelled them both to national fame.