Afrocritik’s Weekly Music Spotlight: Amapiano Party.
By Yinoluwa Olowofoyeku
Hey there, rhythm riders.
I hope you’re doing well and that your week has been a smooth groove so far. Last week, we turned up the heat with an Afrobeats Summer. But while the northern half of the continent basks in sunshine, the southern half is easing into winter. With school breaks just around the corner down south, we’re turning up the warmth the best way we know how: with an Amapiano Party.
We’ve lined up a sizzling mix of mellow grooves, bouncy tunes, and signature log drums to soundtrack the season—wherever you are. Be sure to follow us and check out the Monthly Spotlight for May, now live and ready for you. And as always, if you’re an artist—or know someone with music worth hearing—don’t hesitate to send submissions to yinoluu@afrocritik.com. We’re always listening, and the best gems will be spotlighted for all to see (and hear).
Now, without further ado, let’s get into the tracks lighting up our week in the form of:
GENTLE WARM-UPS: We begin with gentle motions and a few soft, steady tracks to ease you in.
“Ego” by Qing Madi is a beautifully powerful afro-inspired ballad that doubles as a soundtrack collaboration with Valorant; cinematic, elegant, and moving. On “How Do You?”, Amaeya pours heart into soft R&B-inspired afro-fusion, crafting a tender emotional bop. Ice Prince returns to form with “Only Son”, “Roots”, and “Shakur” from his new Starters album, a Hip-Hop homage laced with introspective bars and prime production from long-time collaborator, Chopstix.
Nairobi-based trio Brokoud offer “Kashata”, a groovy emotive Bongo Flava jam with just the right amount of dancefloor draw. And the Millymay World album from Sarz Academy graduate Millymay_pod gives us “Right 4 U”, “Sleepover”, “Slack”, and “Fine Wine”, showcasing fine songwriting, fantastic beats, and melodies that refuse to sit still.
PARTY STARTERS: Things pick up from here! With the warm-up over these are the tracks that are going to get us moving.
Spinall delivers “Want You” with help from Destin Conrad and JayO, a suggestive Afrobeats groove that brings bounce and mood. Crayon’s “Roju” keeps the dance pulse steady, while Tanzanian singer Abigail Chams impresses with “Hold Me”, a bright, energetic Afro-Swing-R&B fusion.
Dice Ailes gets the crowd moving with “One on One”, “Towa”, and “Oluwemawe” from the WIN EP, pure Afro-Pop and Street-Hop energy, all hook, all heat. And Chocolate City artiste, Candy Bleakz, glides in with a slick, cocky effort on “Sinner”, basking in smooth Afrobeats attitude.
AMAPIANO PARTY: Now, the heart of the celebration. It’s Amapiano time!
Cyfred & Sayfar deliver the goods with “Zimhlophe”, “Khumbule”, and “Thumela” off All I Wanted Was Love, coming across with mellow, emotional, soulful Amapiano backed by an all-star cast of vocal talent. Oskido’s Next Gen album gives us “Muntu Wam”, “I Belong To You”, “Izitha”, and “Mpulele”, each track driven by rich vocals and thick, textured beats. Vista’s Frequency project offers “Drive Me Crazy”, “Makukhanye”, and “Syacela Baba”, three expressive and addictive grooves.
Then we’ve got three soft, beautiful vocal tracks: “Wela Wela” by Caltonic, “Umusa” by Nobuhle, and “Izono Zami” by Rah Punzl, reminding us just how much soul the genre can carry. Rounding out the selection is The Parliament, a project by DrummeRtee924 and Deep 6, delivering “Next Game”, “Bassinet”, and “Mystery Project” which are instrumental-heavy, synth-driven, Gqom-touched Amapiano with deep club energy.
AFRO-HOUSE SPRINKLE: Before we wrap, we take a small but mighty dip into Afro-House.
Mack Lean’s Mack Chapter 1 album shines with “Midnight Song”, “Messiah”, “Falling Down”, and “Heads Up”, blending spiritual lyricism with uplifting Afro-House energy. “Vuma Dlozi Lami” brings the meditative power of Issah Sisdoh and Ancestral Rituals, while Jazzworx and MaWhoo team up for “Uzizwa Kanjan”, a vibey, entrancing moment of Afro-House magic.
These are just a few standout moments from this week’s playlist — the full thing is stacked with gems, so make sure to dive in. We hope you enjoyed this genre-hopping departure from the usual, and we’d love to hear from you, especially if you have an Amapiano playlist of your own you’d like to share.
If you’re a budding artist hoping to get featured, or if you’ve just stumbled across a sleeper hit that deserves more ears, don’t hesitate to drop me a line at yinoluu@afrocritik.com. Let’s keep the circle of discovery growing.
Wishing you a week filled with energy, joy, and all the music your soul can handle. Keep listening, keep dancing, and we’ll see you next week.
Warm regards,
Yinoluwa “Yinoluu” Olowofoyeku is a multi-disciplinary artist and creative who finds expression in various media. His music can be found across all platforms, and he welcomes interaction on his social media @Yinoluu.