PIANO TO THE WORLD

Words by Lesego Ntsime | Images: Getty Images + Apple Music

The conversation around the origins of Amapiano remains an elusive one, and rightfully so. After all, which kasi wouldn’t want credit for the creation of a sound that has taken the world by storm, crossing borders to garner the attention of world-renowned artists who want a piece of this pie that doesn’t seem to know no end?

I was first introduced to Amapiano in 2015. Enchanting sounds of marimba arranged alongside soul-provoking drums enthralled the ears and bones of all those around me. The song possessed no vocals but the message was clear: this is Amapiano and it is here to stay. Since then our ears have been touched by music that moves the spirit - prayers compressed into songs on tunes like Kabza de Small and Mskai’s Khusela, serenading love songs like De Mthuda’s Jola and movement-inducing tracks like DBN Gogo’s Woza.

South Africa is no novice to the eruption of groundbreaking music. From jazz that carried the stories of the apartheid regime across oceans to Kwaito music that captured the essence of rebellion and liberation; songs have always been our chosen form of storytelling.

Born from house music with traces and tinges of genres like isgubhu and Kwaito to name a few, this exponentially-growing genre is yet another pinnacle of local music. Like its musical predecessors, Amapiano voices the joys, tribulations, hopes and dreams of a generation. It is a point of convergence for a youth that continues to bear witness to a growing uncertainty in the world, and an agreement to create beauty out of it.

With a staggering youth unemployment rate of 61% almost 30 years into democracy, Amapiano can be perceived as somewhat of a paradoxical parallel of Kwaito music. Intrinsic to Kwaito were messages of freedom, a new South Africa that presented ample opportunity for access and betterment, getting out of the hood. As this pioneering genre (Kwaito) prepares to celebrate three decades of existence, the rise of Amapiano offers a chance to reflect on the state of our country. Indeed, much of the South African youth remains faced with the same challenges prevalent then. Doors shut by unemployment, lack of service delivery, apartheid spatial planning and rampant poverty. 

The new South Africa sees many of its youth still sidelined to precarious peripheries, and for a growing number of that youth Amapiano has come to the rescue. A recollection and recovering of rapture against hardship, wealth against perpetual poverty; i-Piano is doing what many institutions continue to fail to do - nourishing souls and feeding families.

This is not just any movement, it's a movement anchored firmly in carving one’s path. A product designed and manufactured in townships rife with culture, beauty, untold stories and magic, Amapiano asserts: if they won’t do it for us, we shall take the reins ourselves. And reign it has. Over radio stations, streaming and television platforms, billboards and festivals. With every hit song and every international performance; doors are not merely opened, they are made. Erected through like-mindedness, community and the pursuit of a tomorrow brimming with awakened dreams.

Performances at Coachella, billboards on Times Square and daps from some of the world’s biggest musicians are only but green pastures atop rich and fertile soil. We can attribute the success of Amapiano to various factors: social media, flair and a flourishing cultural climate among many others. However, what truly cultivates this environment is the emphasis on community, this notion that there is no come-up unless we come-up together. 

The best things in life are created through and sustained by community. Liberation movements, monumental works of art and the vibrant places we call home. It is no coincidence that the ideology of Ubuntu rests on this fact. As we sway our bodies to the rhythm of some of the best music our country has to offer, may we be reminded of our collective power to change narratives, dismantle what doesn’t serve us and create a future that reflects who we truly are. 

To the pioneers we know and those whose names remain hidden, to Kabza, Gaba, Bantu Elements, Mfr Souls and the names that make up AmaPiano Volume 1. as well as the music before it, thank you for the gift that keeps on giving.

Pitori to Alex, East Rand to Soweto, piano to the world!