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I asked Musa Keys to educate me on Amapiano – Rema
Rema expressed his interest in making authentic Amapiano music in a recent interview with Nandi Madiba of Apple Music Africa Now Radio. While he is confident in his ability to create an Amapiano hit record, he mentioned a preference for exploring the South African genre from an authentic angle.
In the interview, Rema shared that he feels a stronger spirit in South African Amapiano compared to the Nigerian variant. His desire to create music in its undiluted form led him to seek education from South African star Musa Keys. This reflects Rema’s commitment to embracing diverse musical influences and creating authentic expressions within different genres.
“I feel like tapping into a sound, most especially when it’s within Africa, I take my time to study. I don’t jump on the wave, I take my time to understand things. When I and Musa Keys were in the studio, I was like ‘I know a lot of Nigerians are doing Amapiano but I need you to educate me about Amapiano’. I don’t want to just hop on it. Yes, I can make a banger, but it’s like can you teach me? When I hear the ones from South Africa it holds more spirit than the ones from anywhere else.”
Rema stated that he welcomes collaborations since they allow him to learn from others. He hopes to understand everything he can about Amapiano before diving into the music.
“Although I don’t understand everything they’re saying, I can feel the particles, the elements, or the spiritual essence of the music. I know there’s a lot of amapiano from different parts of Africa, but educate me about yours, right? I feel like that’s necessary. I’m so down to collaborate, and while I collaborate I want to learn, I don’t want to do it the wrong way. Yes, Amapiano is a sound I really want to tap into but give me time with that!”
Over the past two years, Amapiano has played a dominant role in the Nigerian mainstream music scene, with Afrobeats superstars embracing and domesticating this South African import.
Artists like Asake experienced a successful run in 2022, and a significant part of his success was attributed to his exploration of Amapiano. Similarly, Seyi Vibez and Shallipopi are two artists who have incorporated Amapiano influences into their music, contributing to their mainstream success. The popularity and integration of Amapiano into the Nigerian music landscape showcase the genre’s influence and appeal across different regions and musical cultures.