Lungelihle Zwane, better known as Uncle Waffles, has taken the world by storm with her electrifying performances and chart-topping hits.
Born on March 30, 2000, in Eswatini, she grew up immersed in the vibrant sounds of South African house music, which fueled her journey into the Amapiano genre.
Her rise to fame began in 2020 when she started DJing during the lockdown. However, it was a viral video of her high-energy performance in Soweto in October 2021 that catapulted her into the limelight.
With the success of her breakout hit Tanzania and debut EP Red Dragon, she solidified her status as the “Princess of Amapiano.”
Uncle Waffles continues to break boundaries, making history as the first Amapiano artist to headline the Wireless Festival in London. Now, fans are eagerly awaiting her upcoming headlining set at the Piano People stage at Afro Nation from July 9-11, 2025.
In an exclusive interview with Rolling Stone Africa, she opened up about her creative process, challenges in the music industry, and her ambitions. Rolling Stone Africa CEO, Bellegarde Smeralda, praised her as the embodiment of African success, stating:
“We wanted a talent that represents an African success story, one that resonates with the youth. Uncle Waffles was the perfect choice, blending music, style, and high-energy performances. As the first female artist to grace the cover of Rolling Stone Africa, she is making history for the entire Amapiano and Afro House community.”
Uncle Waffles shared how music has always been her escape, revealing that Beyoncé’s creativity inspired her. Though she always wanted a creative career, she initially struggled to convince her family. It wasn’t until 2020—when her plans for school changed—that she discovered her passion for DJing.
“In 2020, I was supposed to go to school, but life happened. I started taking online classes and got a job as a presenter at a small studio. They would bring in DJs, and I thought, ‘I want to learn.’ What started as curiosity turned into a passion.”
As a woman in a male-dominated industry, she sees her gender as an advantage:
“I’ll never see being a woman as a disadvantage. We’re very capable, and people assume we can’t do two things at once, like play and dance. But I think we’re actually better than anyone else in every space.”
Reflecting on her milestone performance at Wireless Festival, she said:
“I wanted to show the world that DJs can headline. Amapiano is such a big genre, and dancers are just as much a part of the music as everything else. Performing at Wireless, a hip-hop festival, was a big step in introducing Amapiano to a global audience.”
With her unstoppable drive and groundbreaking achievements, Uncle Waffles is not just redefining Amapiano—she’s shaping the future of African music on the global stage.
