The documentary, titled Freedom Sounds: From Kwaito to Amapiano, features chart-topping Kwaito and Amapiano musicians like Oskido, Thandiswa Mazwai, Young Stunna and Uncle Waffles, telling the authentic, layered story of how these musical genres are linked to the expression of freedom.

“Our 28th year of freedom comes at a time when positivity and hope for our future are much-needed. Our music culture and creative community continue to serve as a source of relief, pride, escape, opportunity, and hope for our future,” says Melanie Triegaardt, Spotify’s head of music strategy and operations in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“With this documentary, we want to showcase the importance of the creative community in freedom of expression and showcase the similarities and differences of eras seen through music culture in South Africa,” she adds.

The playlists, Sound of Freedom and Kwaito Classics, each contain hit tracks by South African musical icons that pay homage to the sounds of South Africa’s streets.  Kwaito Classics spotlights creators like Thebe, M’Du, Trompies, Bongo Maffin and TkZee, their songs evoking the rhythm and musical heartbeat that would give rise to genres like Gqom, South African House/Dance, and, contemporarily, Amapiano. 

According to Spotify data in the last three months, the sounds of Kwaito continue to resound both locally and internationally. Over the past 90 days, streams were generated as far and wide as countries such as the UK, USA, Germany, and Australia – all listed among the top 5 sources of Kwaito streams outside of South Africa. What also emerges from the data is that Kwaito’s popularity is not specific to any particular age range, with music lovers between the ages of 18 and 44 all listening to the genre in equal measure, at an average of about 22% for each age band.