Listen to DJ AQ’s Spotify playlist for Nataal celebrating the amapiano sounds from South Africa
DJ AQ is bringing amapiano to the forefront of New York’s nightlife. The Harlem native is revered for dipping into familiar South African genres like afrohouse and gqom, allowing these fresh sounds to infiltrate new communities. But her current passion is for championing amapiano, a particular style of techno-infused SA house that blends in jazz melodies and vocal lines to create a deep wave of sonic escapism.
“Before I came on the scene you weren’t hearing South African music at the clubs,” she tells us. “You actually wouldn’t hear it at all and if you did, it was the very last song of the night, but not anymore!” This is what she calls “changing the narrative”.
AQ, also known as Kadija Bah, is of South African and Guinean heritage and grew up with a love of violin and dancing. She discovered DJing through a flatmate during her college days. They’d throw parties together which naturally allowed her to hone her craft. Soon she went from commanding dorm rooms to playing bigger gigs and events.
“Before I came on the scene you weren’t hearing South African music at the clubs”
Her alias is an abbreviation of Afrikan Queen, which represents the sounds of the diaspora that she champions wherever she goes. AQ is also a part of Tropical Jawn, a women-led collective that works to connect New York creatives that celebrates Black culture through collaborative events.
Artists in many different spaces found ways to lift each other’s spirits through lockdown. For AQ it was joining line-ups of zoom parties and DJing live streams that carried her through the strange haze of last year. “I loved how creatives, especially DJs, transformed the quarantine experience for all because we really needed that! Many of us were very affected by the pandemic and it has shown me how important mental health is and how fickle this industry can be. But I haven’t lost faith, it’s all part of the journey of what’s yet to come.”
As New York slowly returns to normal, it’s only right that DJ AQ gets the vibe going. For Nataal’s Spotify, she has put together a playlist of songs featuring music from artists that have contributed to shaping her favourite sound. You’ll find names like Daliwonga, Kabza De Small, Mas Musiq and more. Tune in, press play and enjoy.