Calls to the past and responses from the future are tucked into its makeup, with Aymos delivering potent vocals on ‘Tembisa’ and other pivotal Amapiano tracks such as his Mas Musiq collaboration ‘ Zaka ’. The latter houses lyrics derived from ‘ Asimbonanga ’, an anti -apartheid song by Savuka from their 1987 album ‘Third World Child’. At its heart, Amapiano is about the people. Could this new genre be tapping into a collective subconscious of the Black experience? Beyond the hurt, Amapiano finds relief. “When an Amapiano song comes on, it’s a feel - good frequency,” says Thabang Moloto, producer of the Amapiano documentary Shaya!. “You associate it with nice times, a nice lifestyle. It makes you forget your pain. A person could be from the brokest background, and when they dress nicely and go to party, they look like they’ve made it in life. And for that moment, none of their problems matter.“ The unique intersection of inspirations feeding into Amapiano provides South Africans with a well of influences to draw from and then create. New sounds and dance styles become better realities and brighter futures, as Amapiano dance tutorials and music videos garner millions of views and open just as many avenues for the creators. Dancefloors erupt with dance trends such as the ivosho and the pouncing cat, while worries are cast aside during moments where the answer will always be “yebo” – a positive exclamation of approval. Paper, its making (and the lack thereof) are common in tracks; and the legacy of beloved DJ and dancer Papers 707, who died in July, will live on through memories and mimicry of his moves. If you’re feeling especially festive, bring a whistle – dancers, chanters and DJs congregate to embody humanity in concert. In South Africa, and now many countries beyond its borders, Amapiano is the sound to which the sun turns. Varying styles can be Kwaito-fuelled, techno-infused and instrumental or jazz- vocal driven. It’s loved for all of its candour, wokeness, nostalgia and unabashed ratchetry. In its birthplace, we can imagine the orange clouds settling against the horizon, with the smell of beer sold only by packs of six lingering in the air. A solitary car tucked into an alleyway, scarlet tail lights dim; the driver’s seat slides back as a young woman trades favours to fund the fare back from groove -a term synonymous with a night out partying. We can also imagine champagne bottles popping to meet upturned lips celebrating their full-to-the- brim Gucci branded pockets as artists’ bills become things of the past due to the genre’s immense global reach. Despite the pandemic’s eradication of club experiences, Amapiano streams have continued to skyrocket, and the feeling the genre was intended to create is made ever more real. The world is listening.
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