Swazi DJ Uncle Waffles is a self-taught DJ and record producer from South Africa. Born Lungelihle Zwane in Eswatini, a small country formerly known as Swaziland, between South Africa and Mozambique, she was known to be overly animated as a child.
She was always a performer, inspired by South African icons like Lebo Mathosa. “They were such great performers,” she said. “They were unapologetically themselves; I would see it, and I was like, ‘I want do this; I want be there.”
“My mom used to let me do plays, and she used to encourage me to do anything creative that I wanted,” she said. “I used to be that girl who wants to do the leading role in the play and be the most exaggerated.”
With no formal music training, she taught herself to DJ during the pandemic, practicing eight hours a day. Her viral moment came after a dancing video caught the attention of Drake, skyrocketing her to stardom.
The viral dance video shared by Drake changed everything, propelling her from small gigs to international stages. Now, she’s the FIRST Amapiano DJ to perform at Coachella and earned a Best International Act nomination at the BET Awards.
Leveraging social media, Uncle Waffles has quickly become a sought-after star in Amapiano – one of the fastest-growing music genres out of Africa, known for its deep house sound fusing kwaito, jazz, and percussive basslines.
The self-proclaimed “girl’s girl,” dubbed “Princess of Amapiano,” says the title doesn’t belong to her alone. “We can all shine together,” she insists, advocating for unity among women in music.
Uncle Waffles is more than just a DJ – at 24 years, she’s a trailblazer for women in the music industry, proving that female DJs can own the stage.
With her viral energy and multi-platinum hits, she’s redefining success for women in a male-dominated space.
“If you want to be on a big stage, you’ll make it happen,” she says.
