Amapiano is going global as some of South Africa’ biggest acts took over the UK at AMA fest 2021.
Taking place at the weekend, at the South of England Showground, AMA fest brought various artists in amapiano to UK fans.
Mzansi’s amapiano stars, who performed at the festival, included DBN Gogo, Kamo Mphela, Focalistic, Mr JazziQ, Virgo Deep, and rapper Cassper Nyovest.
Videos of these acts have been shared over social media, with many South Africans sharing their excitement about the popular genre making its way across the pond, with the some of the pioneers of the genre at the forefront.
Glad to see @casspernyovest in UK. He needs his own show up here. The guy was lit 🔥🕺🏽#Amafest pic.twitter.com/C9czjGuPij
AMAFest was so lit 🔥 @DBNGOGO signature move ft @MrJazziQ + TXC 🇿🇦🙌🏾 Piano to the World 🌍 pic.twitter.com/T7kTa6XGhc
— CityBloom..💓 (@citybloomm) September 5, 2021
No waaaays @FOCALISTIC x @MrJazziQ in London!!! 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/YXugssnTJn
— 18 AREA // #SghubuSesExcellent 4 December 🚨 (@18AreaMusic) September 5, 2021
Those who were doubting and calling #amafest a scam took a big L ya’ll missed out big time it was vibes after vibes🙌🏾 💯 I salute you guys you proved them wrong. Amapiano to the world @amafestuk you turnt L’s to W’s keep it guys. pic.twitter.com/M640gMXT3J
— Arriba (@killacdon) September 5, 2021
Speaking to DBN Gogo, real name Mandisa Radebe, about the experience, she said it was truly great to bring amapiano to the world.
DBN Gogo said that seeing people embrace the sound from the diaspora is wonderful, especially since the UK is home to many people of the African diaspora. They not only enjoyed hearing some of their favourite songs live, but also the artists behind them.
She said that unlike how South Africa has been in various lockdown levels, allowing gathering to an extent “they have been at home in lockdown”, until the lockdown was ended earlier this year.
She added that that watching the lockdown parties in SA, during the lower lockdown levels, along with the groove videos when regulations are relaxed, were a huge contributor to the English calling for the artists cross the pond.
Furthermore, she explained that, unlike gqom, amapiano has been able to leap in across the border.
Mentioning how other African countries, like Nigeria, have embraced the genre is what she refers to as a “cultural exchange“.
“Seeing as how South Africans embraced afrobeats before it became the huge, and now the same thing happening there with amapiano there,” said DBN Gogo.