Rema, a multi-award-winning Nigerian artist, is eager to explore the South African genre of Amapiano through an authentic lens. In a recent interview with Africa Now Radio, Rema expressed his admiration for South African Amapiano and its spiritual essence. According to Rema, the sound resonates more with him, and he wants to learn more about the genre before creating authentic Amapiano music.
Rema shared that he intends to take his time to learn about Amapiano before tapping into the sound. He is open to collaborations as they allow him to learn from others and do things the right way. As he explains, “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’. 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.”
Although Rema doesn’t understand all the lyrics in Amapiano songs, he can feel the essence of the music. As he said, “Although I don’t understand everything they’re saying, I can feel the particles, the elements, or the spiritual essence of the music.” Rema is committed to doing justice to the Amapiano sound and creating authentic music that resonates with the genre’s core values.
In recent years, Amapiano has become a prevalent genre in Nigeria, with many Afrobeats superstars domesticating the South African import. However, Rema’s approach to the genre is unique. He seeks to understand the origins and spiritual essence of the sound before infusing it into his music. This approach is in stark contrast to the trend of jumping on the latest musical wave and underscores his commitment to his craft.
