‘CAN YOU FEEL IT’ POP-UP EXPERIENCE Author: Lelo Meslani
The quiet garden courtyard of 44 Stanley serenely empties out as neighbours close shop for the day. All but one place keeps the lights on, with speakers and Pioneer equipment set up as dusk falls for what will become a memorable night in a series of pop-up events for Manor x EMPIRE — a celebration of South Africa’s dance music culture in all its shapes and forms.
Upon arrival, the scene is set — CAN YOU FEEL IT vinyled across the shop front window, with illustrations imagined by self-taught visual artist Sinalo Ngcaba showcasing an authentically groovy snapshot into South African groove and street culture. Afro-surrealist figures of Black women dancing, a Siyaya taxi with the boot open, and speakers with South Africa’s flag neatly placed above point to Black joy and connection as the golden thread for the theme of the pop-up. ASAMBE! (quilloule slang for “let’s go!”) becomes the holding slogan for the experience, while inside, portrait illustrations of central figures to the movement are fixed across the walls of The Manor. Among those faces are artists such as KMAT, GoldMax & Tira, Funky Qla, and CowBoii — some of the most prolific architects of the scene across Gqom, Amapiano, 3Step, and Afrotech.
These genres, engineered and cultivated in South Africa, have opened doors for artists globally, placing the country under a powerful lens as a source of inspiration for new sounds. While this may not be the first time South Africa has held the world’s attention, the journey here has been long. From the origins of Kwaito and Bubblegum in the 1980s and 1990s, to early House music in the 2000s, South Africa has long used music and culture as a tool to narrate lived experience — including the struggles of Apartheid.
Without thriving subcultures, there would be no mainstream scenes to feed nightlife or sustain cultural movements. These pillars feed into one another, creating ecosystems that nurture creativity. Post-COVID shifts dramatically reshaped nightlife and entertainment in South Africa, particularly through the underground music scene, which steadily made its way into the mainstream without sacrificing its identity or reshaping itself for radio palatability.
One genre that catapulted South Africa’s cultural rise was the global dominance of Amapiano. Producers from Pretoria to Soweto locked in for collective excellence, establishing grassroots creativity and leveraging digital tools to expand the genre’s footprint. The dominance of the log drum throughout the night of CAN YOU FEEL IT proved just that. Sets from Milkways, EeQue, and ReaDaSoul set the tone, escalating the atmosphere sonically as each DJ showcased the genre’s diversity — from commercial hits to the raw textures of Sgija. No crumbs were left behind.
As the night progressed, whistles bearing the EMPIRE logo were handed out, amplifying the celebration. In Amapiano, a whistle is more than a sound — it’s a signal that the groove is about to shift. Guests filled the courtyard, blowing whistles in perfect time with the rhythm as the dancefloor locked in. The sonic journey shifted into 3Step and Afrotech with Pandemic Boyz, before taking a sharp turn into Gqom as The Incrediblez raised the BPM. The night closed with Gqom superstars GoldMax and DJ Tira.
As the pop-up unfolded through the week, exclusive listening sessions from EMPIRE’s dance artists became masterclasses in contemporary South African music. The opening night was followed by KMAT’s listening session for her new EP YEHYEH, an in-depth conversation with Gqom and Durban House legend DJ Cndo, and a merch signing for fans.
Centering women in dance music is essential for a thriving scene. Queer and women artists have long been pioneers in shaping sound, performance, and club culture. Diversity and inclusivity — both on the dancefloor and behind the scenes — prevent homogenisation and encourage innovation. When line-ups, labels, and residencies are dominated by a single demographic, the art form suffers.
Johannesburg’s summer rains failed to disrupt the CAN YOU FEEL IT experience. Day three of the pop-up was voiced by DJ, cultural disruptor, and Twitch sensation Mateki2Shoes as MC. Piano sounds from Blue Aiva flowed into a back-to-back set by breakout Amapiano stars Shaun101 and CowBoii, before the night closed with a high-energy Gqom and Afro-Tech/3Step set from Durban’s rising star Funky QLA.
This pop-up experience stands as a testament to a much larger picture. 2025 was the year South African music became unignorable. The scene completed its transformation from a globally influential niche into a dominant, chart-topping force. This wasn’t a single viral moment — it was a full-spectrum breakout built on years of groundwork, driven by genre fusion, digital ingenuity, and global collaboration. Now, the responsibility is ours: to safeguard our pillars, sharpen our strategies, and push the culture even further.
