In just a few years, the genre known as Amapiano has gone from a local South African trend to an international phenomenon, finding its way onto dance floors across the globe.
Among the things pushing the new sub-genre just like Afrobeats of West Africa, is TikTok and other social media platforms that makes it easy for users to search a sound in an Instagram reel or dance challenge on TikTok and get the name of the song and artist.
Without the platforms, hit singles like Ku Lo Sa by Lagos-born Oxlade, Last Last by Burna Boy, one of Nigeria’s biggest stars, or even Chris Eazi’s ‘Inana’ which is the number one Rwandan hit song of 2022, would not have been able to reach as many audiences globally.
According to Miguel Manzi, a Kigali-based music analyst and social media expert, hundreds of Rwandan artistes would double their fan base if they come up with a well-crafted social media strategy so as to effectively promote their work.
He pointed to how genres like Amapiano are gaining popularity across the world and how its DJs and artistes use social media to market a project even before its official release.
"There is a song that has been trending everywhere with its dance challenge among the best on TikTok. I was surprised when I searched for it and couldn’t find it on any streaming platform. People were dancing to its snippet and it turned out to be a hit before its official release. That’s the power of social media in the new world of music,” Manzi told The New Times.
The song he was referring to, is Kilimanjaro by Pcee, Sgija Disciples and ZanTen, which has a new Amapiano dance challenge taking social media by storm alongside Ya Ya Ya by DJ Uncle Waffles.
According to Manzi, the takeover of both tracks proves that social media isn’t just for college students and teenagers to chat, but it is also for professionals to market their businesses and, in return, increase their audiences. Rwandan artistes are missing out on this chance, he noted.
Industry and music consumption habits changed
Talking about the new consumption habits in the music industry, Manzi said: "In the past, musicians would need to do things like record demos and distribute them to fans.
"They needed to bargain for time in the studio. If there were live shows at local venues – acts would need to find an opportunity to play.”
The rise of the internet and social media platforms, he believes, has revolutionized how artists establish themselves and transformed the marketing strategy.
"Social media is the new normal of marketing not only in music but other sectors as well. For example, when restaurants have a new dish on the menu, they spend weeks marketing it on social media and the same should apply in the music industry. Artistes should promote albums, singles, EPs and mixtapes way before they drop.”
Social media, Manzi noted, will also ease the playing field and empower artists; however, many of the music marketing tactics like playing live, recording and distributing music, and seeking label attention remain the same.
Using social media to push music
According to a study by MusicWatch, a company dedicated to marketing research and industry analysis for the music and entertainment industry, nine out of 10 people on social media partake in activities involving music.
Creating content and distributing it, according to Kenny K-Shot, one of the best Rwandan rappers, is one of the most significant ways that social media remains a crucial place to be in the music industry.
Not only does such content lead to more interest, the rapper noted, but it also stands as the foundation of finding and keeping long-term fans.
"From standbys like Twitter to short-form video platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, to flexible platforms like Instagram that allow multiple media formats, there are more options than ever for artists to post their music, connect with their fans and reach new listeners,” Kenny K-Shot told The New Times.
It is through social media that the rapper earned most of his fan base which is the same case with most upcoming artists in the country.
It’s the future!
Kenny K-Shot urged musicians who are missing out on the opportunities presented by social media to wake up and start pushing their projects on different platforms.
Kenny Kshot added: "Social media continues to give us the opportunities we previously could only have through record companies. We can share our sound with millions of people who don’t even know that we exist, secure gigs, sign big deals, and interact with fans, all through social media. It’s the future!”
"Musicians need to understand that the music industry has changed, and that there are many ways these platforms play a critical role in the industry.”