The Best Amapiano Songs of 2023
Featuring Tyler ICU, DJ Stokie, ShaunMusiq & Ftears, Mellow & Sleazy, De Mthuda, Uncle Waffles and more.
When the amapiano mainstream explosion started a short while back, many naysayers said the genre wouldn’t last more than a few years, and that another sound would dethrone it. It's now safe to say that amapiano has proven many of those initial detractors wrong.
2023 was yet another productive year for the genre; new stars broke through, records were broken, established acts remained consistent and the genre’s creative knack was maintained. On the international front, the venue sizes for touring amapiano acts significantly increased, more artists got booked, and the stages became more prestigious. So, amapiano’s steady journey to world domination continues.
Check out our picks for The Best Amapiano Songs of 2023 below.
Tyler ICU & Tumelo_za “Mnike” feat. DJ Maphorisa, Nandipha808, Ceeka RSA & Tyron Dee
Since it dropped in late April, Tyler ICU’s “Mnike” has remained inescapable for most of the year at home and across parts of the globe. Tumelo.za’s infectious melodies and the thumping instrumental, co-produced by Nandipha808 and Ceeka RSA, rang at shows and festivals worldwide, such as Afro Nation in Portugal. With millions of combined streams across Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and the rest, the blazing track has the biggest streaming numbers of any amapiano song yet.
Mas Musiq & Daliwonga “Gangnam Style” feat. DJ Maphorisa & Kabza De Small
In April, revered producer/DJ Mas Musiq dropped a new LP titled NINI na NINI. The Daliwonga-assisted lead single “Gangnam Style” is a standout from the project, which hosts 13 soulful-drenched tracks with features from superstars such as DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, Kelvin Momo, Ami Faku, and Aymos, amongst others. In the sexual-innuendo-fueled track, Daliwonga cleverly interpolates South Korean artist PSY’s 2012 monstrous hit song of the same name and borrows melodies from Burna Boy’s “Last Last” and Nick Holder’s “Summer Daze” for the bridge.
Uncle Waffles, Tony Duardo & Justin99 “Yahyuppiyah” feat. Pcee, EeQue & Chley
Even before its official drop, the snippet and dance choreography to Uncle Waffles’ “Yahyuppiyah” had social media in a chokehold. In March, the globally recognized DJ officially released the song as the lead single to her sophomore EP, Asylum. Waffles’ star power continued to shine this year as she dropped her third project, received a BET award nod, played at Coachella and headlined her own-curated shows worldwide.
Lady Amar, JL SA, Cici & Murumba Pitch "Hamba Juba"
Releasing and producing music is a natural progression for any DJ, particularly in amapiano. Earlier in the year, Lady Amar followed this natural progression by dropping her debut single and immediately struck gold. “Hamba Juba” is a heartwarming, soulful collaboration with producer JL SA and vocalists Cici and Murumba Pitch. The track remained on top of radio and streaming charts for a couple of weeks and helped catapult the DJ’s career as a solo artist.
Mellow & Sleazy & TmanXpress “Kwelinye” feat. Keynote
Mellow & Sleazy teamed up with vocalist TmanXpress again, following last year’s “Amasango," for “Kwelinye.” The inspirational track touches on perseverance and having faith, backdropped by elegant production from the duo and Keynote. The track, which speaks about denigrators rejoicing too early, is borrowed from gospel artist Donny’s “Basheshe Bahleka” - while the intro and outro contains a loop from Tracklib.
Sam Deep & Eemoh “iMpumelelo” feat. Da Muziqal Chef
Sam Deep had two bonafide hits in 2022 with “Kusezo Khanya” and “Thokoza.” In March, he kicked off yet another bountiful year with a new single titled “iMpumelelo” (which translates to “success”). In the track, featured vocalist Eemoh sings about fighting for success and not against detractors, resulting in a resonant anthem for anyone chasing their dreams.
ShaunMusiq, Ftears & Xduppy “Bhebha” feat. Myztro, Mellow & Sleazy, QuayR Musiq and Matuteboy
The production duo behind “Tobetsa,” ShaunMusiq & Ftears, connect with Xduppy, Mellow & Sleazy, QuayR Musiq and Matuteboy to flip the 2005 bacardi hit "Bhebha" for a new single of the same name. With the song, the duo, alongside label mate Xduppy, helped propel their distinct iteration of amapiano, which they’ve coined “quantum sound.” The bass-driven style and its given name are heavily influenced by the music played by public taxis in South Africa.
Pabi Cooper & Yumbs "Dali Wam" feat. MaWhoo & Nkosazana Daughter
In May, frequent collaborators Pabi Cooper and Yumbs released the ballad, “Dali Wam.” The MaWhoo and Nkosazana Daughter-featuring song sees the vocalists take turns to express their longing for their long-distance romantic partners. The songstress also got a BET award nomination two years into her career as a musician.
Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa & Njelic “Nana Thula” feat. Young Stunna, Nkosazana Daughter & Xolani Guitars
The geniuses and generational talents that are Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa made a bold statement by revamping their 2019 cult classic “Nana Thula," pairing it with new instrumentation and additional verses from Young Stunna and Nkosazana Daughter. The song has been given a new lease on life and made to fit the current soundscape of amapiano.
De Mthuda, Da Muziqal Chef & Eemoh “Sgudi Snyc” feat. Sipho Magudulela
This year, acclaimed producer De Mthuda teamed up with his frequent collaborator, Da Muziqal Chef, for their joint EP, Sgudi Snyc. The title track, a nostalgia-inducing masterpiece, is an ode to the '80s comedy sitcom of the same name, which starred the legendary Joe Mafela as Sdumo. The title is a play on “It’s good, it’s nice,” and Eemoh croons about how fun life is over a melodic beat.
Sam Deep “Isgubhu” feat. Njelic & Aymos
Producer/DJ Sam Deep recruited esteemed vocalists Njelic and Aymos on his nostalgic single “Isgubhu.” In the song's hook, Aymos mentions some prominent names within the scene that remind him of the Kwaito stars he grew up listening to. The old-school yet modern feel of “Isgubhu” makes it the perfect song to pay homage to current and yesteryear superstars.
Kamo Mphela, Khalil Harrison & Tyler ICU “Dalie” feat. Baby S.O.N
Musician and dancer extraordinaire Kamo Mphela finally released her long-awaited track “Dalie,” which has been going viral on social media clips. Featuring Khalil Harrison, Tyler ICU and Baby S.O.N, the thumper tune, charged with its dance challenge, topped the charts within a few days of release and went gold in six days.
DJ Stokie "Awukhuzeki" feat. Omit ST, Sobzeen & Zee_nhle
Veteran DJ Stokie's third studio album, My Journey Continues, built on the euphonious sound of 2020’s My Journey. “Awukhuzeki,” his collaboration with Omit ST, Sobzeen and vocalist Zee_nhle became a stand-out and a fan favorite — the soulful track spent several weeks atop the charts on multiple streaming platforms.
Mellow & Sleazy, SjavasDaDeejay & TitoM “Imnandi Lento” feat. Tman Xpress
Inventive duo Mellow & Sleazy continued their streak on their latest single “Imnandi Lento” alongside producers SjavasDaDeejay and TitoM. The club-ready song saw the dynamic duo collaborate with vocalist Tman Xpress, with whom they've worked closely with several times. Most revered for their bacardi house-infused sound, the duo expanded their style and made it more soulful this year.
Pcee, S’gija Disciples & Zan’Ten "Kilimanjaro" feat. Justin99, Mema_Percent & Mr JazziQ
After getting his breakthrough with “Zotata” towards the tail end of 2022, Pcee returned with another viral single titled “Kilimanjaro” at the top of this year. Much like most of his songs, he brought a host of other producers with him, calling up S’gija Disciples, Zan’Ten, Justin99, Mema_Percent, and his label boss Mr JazziQ for this track. The song and accompanying dance have helped cement Pcee as a star and one of the most energetic performers in the scene today.
Jimmy Maradona, QuayR Musiq & Mellow & Sleazy “Wena Wa Pallwa” feat. Ch’cco & LeeMcKrazy
Burgeoning vocalist Jimmy Maradona got his big break through his viral track “Wena Wa Pallwa" this year. The banger, co-produced by QuayR Musiq and Mellow & Sleazy, also features standout guest appearances from Ch’cco and LeeMcKrazy. Like most of the songs on the list, TikTok and dance challenges propelled the thumper to hit song status.
Tebza De DJ & Dj Nomza The King “Ka Vulungu”
Tebza De DJ’s “Ka Vulungu” gained significant traction and took over TikTok almost overnight in July. Tebza, a relatively unknown act then, sampled Peter Teanet’s 1996 hit “African Vibe Pt. 2” and gave it a modern twist. Due to the uncleared sample, Peter’s label got the track taken down on all DSPs. Tebza De DJ and DJ Nomza the King then re-recorded the vocals and dropped the song to bypass the copyright infringement.
Focalistic "Khekheleza (Dlala Dlala)" feat. EeQue & Thama Tee
Globally known star Focalistic teamed up with rising acts EeQue and Thama Tee for his most recent hit, “Khekheleza (Dlala Dlala).” With performances across the globe and features with rising artists like Nigeria’s Seyi Vibez, Shallipopi and Spyro, Focalistic continues to spread the gospel of amapiano to the world. “Khekheleza (Dlala Dlala)” exemplifies that 'president ya straata' has not neglected home and that the fans haven’t deserted him either.
Myztro & Daliwonga “Kunkra” feat. Xduppy, ShaunMusiq & Ftears
After closing 2022 with “Tobetsa,” charismatic DJ/producer Myztro kickstarted his year by releasing the street anthem, “EVERYDAY iParty Waya Waya,” in March. He then followed up with the aptly-titled “Myztro Ah Ah,” but “Kunkra” solidified his stellar run. The Daliwonga-led song is a light-hearted, head-popping banger that, like many ‘piano songs, went viral before its official release.
Bassie & Aymos "Izenzo" feat. T-Man SA
Singer-songwriter Bassie linked up with Aymos on her highly anticipated single “Izenzo,” produced by T-Man SA. The ethereal ballad takes us back to the foundations of love and its manifestation: one’s actions. The song's lyrical content is also mirrored in its soundscape—simple and resonant, allowing the vocals to take center stage as the musician's duet.
Megadrumz & Lady Du "Tjina"
Each year, there’s a relatively new act whose song helps them break out into the mainstream of the hyper-productive amapiano scene. For the latter part of 2023, duo Megadrumz exemplified this. With the assist of established vocalist and entrepreneur Lady Du, the Open Mic Productions signees secured a hit with "Tjina," thanks to a good record and a trendy TikTok challenge that borrows from the Macarena dance.
ShaunMusiq & Ftears, Daliwonga “Howa You” feat. Myztro & Xduppy
Pioneering duo ShaunMusiq & Ftears had quite the year. Along with being part of some huge records, they dropped the follow-up to their massive single “Bhebha,” in the form of "Howa You." The duo get vocalist Daliwonga on the thumping track, who serves as the song’s main guest, appearing next to their frequent collaborators Myztro and Xduppy. The single’s hook is based on a phrase coined by ‘piano culture enthusiast Thulani Way.
DJ Stokie & Eemoh "Masithokoze"
DJ Stokie secured another hit with buzzing vocalist Eemoh just in time to close off his illustrious year. “Masithokoze” borrows its title from Mafikizolo’s 2008 hit, which is also interpolated in this new rendition.
Dj Tshegu & Focalistic "Tiya Mfana (Mzokwana)" feat. Sims Noreng
A few weeks after the drop of her debut single in September, ascending producer and entertainer DJ Tshegu re-released the track with vocals from superstar Focalistic. Similarly to “Tobetsa” late last year, the method worked and the track caught fire. In the hook, Focalistic advises people to stay strong and not celebrate prematurely while interpolating Jimmy Dludlu’s “Winds of Change.”
Tyler ICU "NGIMOJA" feat. Khanyisa, Tumelo.za & Tyron Dee
With two back-to-back smash hits and prominent features, Tyler ICU proved to be untouchable this year. His impressive run began in February with the drop of “NGIMOJA” which features sensation Khanyisa, Tumelo.za and Tyron Dee. In the song, Khanyisa and Tumelo express their disappointment after they gave love to an unfaithful partner.
- amapiano - OkayAfrica ›
- The 10 Best Amapiano Songs of 2019 ›
- Op-Ed: Who Will Introduce South Africa’s Amapiano to the World? ›
- The 15 Best Amapiano Songs of 2022 So Far ›
- The Best Nigerian Songs of 2023 - Okayplayer ›
- The Best Amapiano Songs of the Year So Far - Okayplayer ›
- Uncle Waffles’ Nairobi Event Highlights Broader Issues With African Music Concerts - Okayplayer ›