Uncle Waffles

Uncle Waffles

Uncle Waffles is the stage name of Lungelihle Zwane, a DJ and record producer from Eswatini who is based in South Africa. Born in 2000, she works in amapiano and becomes widely associated with the genre as both a performer and a producer.

Early life and background

Zwane grows up in Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, and later moves to South Africa to attend university. She is brought up by her grandmother after not knowing her parents in childhood, and later reconciles with her mother as a teenager. She also spends her early years listening to South African house and kwaito, including music by Black Coffee, Lebo Mathosa and DJ Kent.

Broadcast work and entry into DJing

Before becoming known as a DJ, Zwane works as a television presenter on Studio1 on Eswatini TV. She first encounters DJ equipment there through a friend at the studio, where a set of decks is available. She learns to DJ in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdowns and says she practices for eight hours each day. She later signs with the South African creative agency KreativeKornerr, which helps secure bookings for her.

Breakthrough

Her rise accelerates after she fills in for a withdrawn DJ at Zone 6 nightclub in Soweto in October 2021. A video of her dancing to Young Stunna’s “Adiwele” during a set goes viral and brings her wider attention. Billboard describes her as the “princess of amapiano”.

Recorded music

Uncle Waffles moves into production and releases her debut single, “Tanzania”, in 2022 ahead of her first EP, Red Dragon. “Tanzania” reaches number one in South Africa and is certified 7x platinum there. The track is later ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the best afropop songs of 2022. Her debut music video for the song appears later in 2022.

Her second EP, Asylum, follows in 2023 and includes “Yahyuppiyah” as its first single. The EP is certified gold by the Recording Industry of South Africa within a week of release. She then issues Solace in 2023 as a follow-up, describing Asylum and Solace as a double-sided project called An Asylum of Solace. The project is supported by “Echoes”, featuring Tony Duardo.

Performances and touring

In 2022, she tours the United Kingdom and Ireland for the first time, with the run linked to Piano People shows that she headlines alongside DJ Maphorisa and Focalistic. The tour is described as the first all-star amapiano tour in the region. She also performs as the only DJ at the 2022 Global Citizen Festival in Accra.

She later tours the United States and Australia. In 2023, she becomes the first amapiano musician to perform at Coachella.

Radio, collaborations and recognition

In September 2022, she announces a residency on BBC Radio 1. She also partners with KFC South Africa on an “Uncle Waffles burger”, which is sold in local branches in late 2022 and again in 2023. Streaming platform Audiomack names her an “#UpNow” artist in 2023.

Her music reaches international attention when Beyoncé samples “Tanzania” in a dance break on the Renaissance World Tour setlist. Uncle Waffles later reacts to the moment on Instagram. She is nominated for Best International Act at the 2023 BET Awards.