Meet Unruly Phoenix, the amapiano buzzqueen of the Netherlands
We’ve already offered it before: amapiano, a fresh dance genre from South Africa, is the breakthrough sound of the moment, and Unruly Phoenix is one of the DJs who will bring it. Earlier we tipped as one of the most Dutch DJs to check, this weekend is playing at Down The Rabbit Hole and WOO HAH! and tips her favorite songs in the DJ Shortlist.
Follow your amapiano wild run:
DJ Obza – ‘Mang’Dakiwe’ ft. Leon Lee
‘A year ago I was at a party when someone played this track, and I thought it was so good. A friend looked at me and said, “You’re going to DJ amapiano, and you’re going to make it.” I had already played as an urban DJ in small clubs like John Doe on Rembrandtplein, but that was shortly before corona. Amapiano feels much closer to me: it is very diverse, from very loungy amapiano with jazz elements, but also tracks where you can go wild. And it’s the sound from Africa, where my roots are. That is also that connection.’
Track of someone you want to collaborate with:
Wax fiend – ‘Etema’
‘Waxfiend is the GOAT. I had him hours of sending him a mixtape, and within a few hours I got a message that a few times I got a message that had fallen out in Paraiso that I wanted to come and play. That’s where it started, and I’m sooooo grateful to him. And ‘Etema’ is the summer melody of 2022, they can play it anywhere. I would love to make a track with him.’
The track that goes to Down The Rabbit Hole:
Unruly Phoenix – ‘Voices of Egypt’ ft. Gento Baretto
‘My first track, made with an amapiano producer from South Africa. How do I know him? Last year during ADE I played at Ziongate in Paradiso, and I closed in that small room above. DBN Gogo, a real pioneer, also played that evening. She had posted me and on her social media, so the ball started rolling.’
The track with the hip-hop heads on WOO HAH! get dancing:
Prince Kaybee – ‘Drum & Bass’
‘This goes’ injury to do. Hype from start to finish.’
A track that turns you gray:
Kabza De Small – ‘Khusela’ feat. Msaki
‘This one seeks me in my soul. Some amapiano tracks have a spiritual layer. You can feel that in this one, he is very sensitive.’