MAJOR LAZER

The first new album release from Major Lazer — the U.S. based trio of Diplo, Walshy Fire and Ape Drums — in three years, Piano Republik is a thrilling and unprecedented international showcase for amapiano, the dance music genre that has exploded out of South Africa’s townships and onto the world stage recently.

“Africa is the center of musical energy for the whole world right now, and amapiano is easily one of the most exciting things happening,” says Walshy Fire, frontman of Major Lazer. “It’s blown up all over the continent, but it all started in South Africa, and Major League Djz are in the middle of everything. As soon as we got to experience their movement in real life, we knew we just had to collaborate.”

The album includes the previously released singles “Koo Koo Fun” (featuring Tiwa Savage and DJ Maphorisa); “Designer” featuring Joeboy; and “Mamgobhozi” featuring the late South African music icon and activist Brenda Fassie, as well as a pair of guest appearances from R&B superstar Ty Dolla $ign (“Smoking & Drinking,” “Oh Yeah”). South African acts featured on the project include Msaki, Gaba Cannal, Russell Zuma, Yumbs, Boniface, DJ Rico and fast-rising singer Tyla, who appears on the album’s stunning focus track “Ke Shy.”

A fusion of soulful house music, African rhythms and jazzy piano melodies, amapiano is the latest outgrowth of South Africa’s deeply rooted dance music culture. Major League Djz are both pioneers of amapiano and its de facto global ambassadors, having brought global audiences into South Africa’s club scene over the last three years through their livestreamed Balcony Mix events, which regularly generate millions of views on YouTube.

“The spirit of amapiano is African dance music that brings the world together,” Bandile Mbere told Mixmag in an August 2022 cover story on Major League Djz. “It breeds African soul,” Banele Mbere added. “It’s brought Africa closer together, or brought South Africa closer to the rest of Africa.”

Since the release of their acclaimed 2021 album Outside, Major League Djz have gone on to break the world record for the longest DJ set performed by a duo, performing for 75 hours for a special edition of the Balcony Mix Experience. Counting Tems, Burna Boy, Honey Dijon, Jorja Smith, Rema, Asake, Stefflon Don and Mr Eazi among their steadily growing list of supporters, the twins made their Coachella debut alongside Black Coffee in 2022, and recently sold out London’s O2 Academy Brixton.

Those in Miami for Miami Music Week can catch Major League Djz with Major Lazer Sound System in a b2b DJ set at Get Lost Miami, happening March 25th at Factory Town in Hialeah. This summer in London, Major League Djz will be the first South African act to hold a residency at new venue at Outernet, playing and curating exciting lineups every Saturday in June.