It seems that the highveld is giving the east coast a run for its money with Pretoria-born amapiano music starting to edge onto dance floors that were previously littered with bhenga dancers grooving to gqom tunes!
Gqom, an edgy style of music that originated in Durban’s townships, seems to be making way for the more laid back house tunes of amapiano, described as “a mix of deep house, gqom all mixed in with the jazzy, soulful sound of a piano” (www.prospect.zone). With some people talking about amapiano as the new-Kwaito, there’s no doubt that this new, distinctly African sound is making waves in the music industry.
To get an idea of how gqom compares to the sound of amapiano, watch Pitori’s Amapiano vs Durban Gqom Dance on YouTube, and to find out more about the amapiano trend read Nusoulhub Radio’s interview with amapiano DJ, P-Man.