Tyla and DJ Maphorisa dominate world stage

South African stars are dominating the world stage, Tyla and DJ Maphorisa are leading the charge.

Spotify today released its 2025 Global Impact List, spotlighting the top 30 South African tracks that made the biggest waves internationally in the first half of the year. At the top of this cultural export boom, two names stand out: Tyla and DJ Maphorisa.

With three major songs in the list, Tyla again proves she’s not just a local success, she’s a global force. From the shimmering crossover hit “Show Me Love” with WizTheMc to the sultry “Bliss” and a chart-topping “PUSH 2 START” remix featuring Sean Paul and Davido, her collab game is unmatched. Tyla is moving effortlessly across borders, genres and fan bases.

On the Amapiano front, no one is moving the needle quite like the trendsetting DJ Maphorisa. With five songs on the list, including “Abantwana Bakho” (with Kabza De Small and Nkosazana Daughter), “Uyaphapha Marn” with Scotts Maphuma and club favourite “Sangena” featuring Toss, Maphorisa isn’t just making hits, he’s exporting South African culture, one track at a time – clearly gwa khonahala.

Collabs are the currency for global success

If there’s one takeaway from this year’s list, it’s that collaboration is South Africa’s not-so-secret weapon. Whether it’s Amapiano, Pop, House or Gospel, the tracks making the biggest global impact are team efforts, genre-bending, boundary-breaking and full of fire.

Major League Djz joined forces with Jorja Smith for “Come With Me,” a smooth Amapiano-pop hybrid that’s been lighting up European summer festivals. Meanwhile, Master KG is going international again, this time in Latin America, with the infectious “Ngishutheni” alongside Eemoh and Goon Flavour.

Amapiano still rules the global dance floor

The rise of Amapiano is no longer a trend; it’s a full-blown movement. The genre continues to surge worldwide, with South African producers delivering the grooves that fill dance floors from Lagos to Lisbon. Tracks like “Ngibolekeni” (featuring Blxckie, DJ Maphorisa and more) are spreading the unmistakable Amapiano sound to new corners of the globe.

Multiple sounds. One message. Global reach.

Beyond Amapiano, the 2025 Global Impact List reveals the full range of South African artistry backed by global talent. From Alice Phoebe Lou’s introspective indie-pop (“You and I,” “The Surface”) to the spiritual uplift of Kingd Music and Luma Elpidio’s gospel anthem “Jesus,” Mzansi’s music is speaking in many languages and being heard everywhere.

Even House music had its moment, with “Beautiful People (THEMBA Remix)” featuring David Guetta and Sia merging international star power with deep South African rhythm.

Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music in Sub-Saharan Africa, sums it up: “The 2025 Global Impact List proves that when collaboration fuels creativity, South African music becomes an unstoppable force. We’re not just seeing global reach – we’re seeing global influence.”

Below is the full list of the top 30 South African songs with the biggest global streaming numbers in the first half of 2025.

Top 30 most exported tracks