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A F R O P O P?
Afropop
You may remember “Jerusalema,” the surprise dance hit last year that got everyone moving, from monks in Italy to medical workers around the world. Now its creator, South African DJ Master KG, has teamed up with Senegalese American singer Akon and France’s David Guetta on “Shine Your Light,” and he says Afropop has a bright future. Nigeria’s Burna Boy and Congo’s Fally Ipupa are other stars in the genre.
Amapiano
Could this be the year of amapiano, a South African form of jazz-inflected house music that’s gaining in popularity on the continent and beyond? The genre began in Johannesburg townships, but one of its rising stars is Zimbabwean Sha Sha, who’s set to release her first studio album later this year. Even Britain’s Ed Sheeran is jumping on the bandwagon.