Apple Music celebrates Visionary Women of South Africa

Apple Music’s Visionary Women campaign aims to celebrate the powerful women across the Amapiano, dance, house, alternative, pop, and R&B scenes, who push and break boundaries within South Africa’s rich and varied musical landscape.

Now in its fourth year, Apple Music’s Visionary Women Collection will house the playlists of South Africa’s forward-thinking pioneers and disruptors, namely Boohle, Sha Sha, Pabi Cooper, Amy Lilley, Tyler Page, Emma Goode (Emerger), Nobuhle, Nana Atta, DESIREE, Nomfundo Moh, Sio and Rowlene who have selected their ultimate female anthems.

“Amapiano has given me, and a lot of upcoming artists who were unknown, a chance to showcase our talents. Being one of the well-known Amapiano female vocalists gives me a chance to tell my story and share my experiences with people who may be going through the same thing as me. Amapiano is now a culture that is being spread to the world and we as the pioneers of the sound need to stand together and push it hard. I write songs that mean something to me and I always ensure I give it my level best.”

— Boohle

“I am honoured and humbled to have made an impact within the Amapiano space which I experience daily by the love I get from people who connect to the music across the world. It is beautiful to see how our music is making an impact across oceans and I am excited to be part of this wave.”

— Sha Sha

“I make music to change people’s lives. I curate every song to bring unity with no stereotypes. Amapiano has become the voice of the youth, a true expression of our reality and I am here to use my voice to tell the real stories.”

— Pabi Cooper

“The basis of electronic music is black. From the infectious beats that came out of Detroit to the unforgettable hypnotising grooves hailing from Chicago, house music and techno has inspired me from the first time I was able to enjoy music. As a South African, the emergence of tribal and Afro-house in the 2000s introduced me to a variation of this evergreen genre which has since taken over my life. My love for synthesisers combined with organic percussive elements has inspired me to educate audiences worldwide through my selections. This undying love of mine is also the core inspiration behind my debut offering, FEMME TECH, which is a gynocentric interpretation of the music that has carried me throughout my life. FEMME TECH is dedicated to all those who a minority which is a theme that is dear to my heart as an intersex woman.”

— DESIREE

“As a black woman artist, I believe I have a responsibility to continue where all the great women artists left off. A duty to enlighten, to encourage and to restore self awareness and pride, so that every woman artist that follows knows to be unapologetically bold, fierce and sexy. The Afro-tech space provides a perfect platform for this in my opinion. This is why in my upcoming EP titled Emakhosini, I touch base on elevation and self awareness as an artist and as an African. I’m an African Warrior Princess on a mission to restore!”

— Nana Atta

“My artistry is a celebration of universal stories of love, spirituality and healing, which I’m growing towards daily to reach my potential. I would like to create taking from those before me and continuing the legacy of my calling. My music brings healing and I would never want to create a song without being able to touch my supporters.”

— Nobuhle

“R&B stands for ‘Rhythm & Blues,’ and I have a lot ‘blues,’ I turn into rhythm. I’m blessed that so many can relate to the many shades of blue my heartbreaks take on. I’m a woman who has had her light dimmed and power diffused by the world and the rules entrenched in all of us and like most of us, I have been played, fooled, shattered, healed and I’m still healing and this playlist reflects that for me. It’s in the same emotive theme as my upcoming album Torn Tapestries, which speaks of that pain without asking you to feel sorry for me, because it’s just part of being here”