Amapiano Goes Global: How South Africa’s Township Sound Conquered TikTok

Amapiano, which means “the pianos” in isiZulu, blends deep house, jazz, and kwaito, an earlier local genre.

Its slower, rolling grooves merge piano and keyboard melodies with percussion and a signature deep bass known as the log drum.

The genre emerged in Gauteng province townships during the 2010s and has since spread globally, propelled by streaming and social media.

Johannesburg singer Tyla exemplifies this crossover success.

Her amapiano-influenced hit “Water” went viral through a dance challenge, reaching number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and winning the inaugural Grammy for Best African Music Performance in 2024.

Issued on: 13/09/2026 – 14:18

3 min read

Moves on repeat

In Johannesburg’s Alexandra township, amapiano rhythms fill everyday spaces—from hair salons and car speakers to the small room where 15-year-old Olanna lives with her family and films herself dancing.

“A challenge takes me just two minutes to learn, then I film it. It’s easy, and sometimes I even make up my own moves,” Olanna told RFI.

“Dancing makes me happy and helps me relax, even when I’m sad.”

A few streets away, dancer Angie recreates routines she has seen online.

“I dance at school, at home in the yard, indoors—I dance everywhere. Even in shopping centres. Sometimes people join me,” Angie says.

“I like these challenges and the variety of dances. They also let you discover new artists, music, and genres I didn’t know before.”

Dance as promotion

While dance routines often emerge spontaneously, amapiano producers are paying close attention. Johannesburg-based artist DJ Nastor uses the format to promote new music.

“I recently released a new track and encouraged people on TikTok to create challenges around it,” he told RFI.

“It’s part of the strategies we use to promote our music, and this format is common here. Seeing people dance to my music shows it’s well received and makes people happy.”

The genre hit its first 100 million Spotify streams in 2020 and recorded more than 855 million streams in the first half of 2024 alone.

Powered by algorithms

Dance challenges can also help individual songs find global audiences, introducing listeners to South African artists and music they might not otherwise encounter.

How widely these videos spread depends partly on how social-media platforms distribute content, says digital strategy consultant and former TikTok South Africa content manager Boniswa Sidwaba.

“These videos travel so widely and become online phenomena because algorithms allow content to emerge based on people’s interests rather than their location.

“That has played a big role in distribution, exposing people around the world to this kind of content.”

With the southern summer approaching, the next amapiano hit—and the dance challenge that could carry it worldwide—may already be taking shape.

This story was based on interviews conducted by RFI’s Johannesburg correspondent Claire Bargelès.

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