Amapiano Awards: South Africa’s dance music scene spreads its joy across the world

SANYA OSHA

IN 2019 amapiano began to dominate South Africa’s dance floors to such an extent that, by 2021, the first South African Amapiano Awards were held to mark the rise of the country’s most infectious new music export.

In 2022, the South African dance music genre continued to expand its galloping world-wide reach. The annual awards are now an established event in South Africa’s music calendar.

Amapiano is a soulful mix of grooves, sonic textures and moods that can be by turns hectic, smooth, melodic or simply enchanting. It is also defined by its unique percussive bass. Breaks within songs are punctuated by brief staccato beats (or signatures) scrawled by the synthesised sounds of the African log drum. In short, it’s a fresh new DJ-driven dance music sound with upbeat piano melodies, a slowed down dance beat and rolling drum sound.

Its ever-growing influence is a joyful celebration of South Africa’s decades-long contribution to global