![]() ![]() He took a gap year to buy time, telling his parents he needed to make up his mind about what to study. Initially, assuming his parents wouldn’t approve of a career in music, young Aymos – born Amos Babili Shili in Tembisa – kept his intentions a secret. He sings, in its first verse, that it was Maphorisa who advised him to rid himself of fear and follow his heart. On the title track, which gives us yet another classic Afro-pop moment, Aymos revisits the theme of love personified in music. On Risasekile, he emphasises the importance of effective communication in all relationships, while on Muhle and Ntombo, he promotes self-love and acceptance of the body’s natural appearance. Even as South Africa’s tweeters declare umjolo (dating) a hazard that will end in tears, Aymos says reliable partners aren’t as rare as they are claimed to be. On the song Olwangempela, which leans towards jazz by way of a saxophone solo, he shares an optimistic outlook on romantic relationships. In many of the album’s songs, he shows himself to be a gentle and thoughtful individual, an avid disciple of love. And, there is so much freedom … you can literally do anything.”īut Aymos says he has evaded potentially destructive distractions by maintaining a level head. “Now that I’m officially doing music, I’m seeing the other side of music that I actually never thought of,” he says. ![]() He paints a picture of his experience – from his spiritual connection to music to the opportunities his chosen profession affords him, even when they are dangerous. He backs his alto with soprano vocals while singing about music luring him in, even when he tried to evade the calling. The song uYangibiza trades the customary hurried rhythm of amapiano for a steady traditional gospel bounce as he pulls off varying vocal tones and pitches. In the album’s second half, Aymos introduces the listener to his Afro-pop roots and sensibilities. “Ama2000s are really a vibe.” AFRO-POP ROOTS ![]() “Me and my siblings, we never used to do that,” he says before adding that he loves the younger generation’s “energy”. A millennial in his mid-20s, he doesn’t relate to that lifestyle. “She stresses her parents out,” says Aymos about his carefree muse. I felt like I wanted to die.”ĮMcimbini, which shamelessly touts the hedonistic amapiano lifestyle, was inspired by ama2000s, specifically Aymos’ niece, “who is always out and never comes back home sometimes.” The song Ababuyanga (meaning “they didn’t return”) on Yimi Lo is also about this. It was so confusing to my family and my friends. “I went broke … and my song was booming in the streets. “I remember I had more than 50 gigs on my calendar, and I saw them being cancelled each and every day,” Aymos told the publication Pan African Music. eMcimbini was one of the biggest songs of 2020, but Aymos couldn’t convert the hype into money. ![]() After releasing a hit song during the initial Covid-19 lockdown in early 2020, the musician recalls his shows being cancelled one after the next. This “comeback” was out of a period of disillusionment and confusion. That was how I interpreted my comeback into the amapiano scene.” “ Jemeni is a personification of German cars. This idea is present on the album’s opener Jemeni, featuring amapiano stalwart Focalistic, in which Aymos sings the praises of German cars. “Like, now that you’re trending, you probably stay in Sandton, drive a BMW or a Merc the likes of Maphorisa who are at the forefront of amapiano.” “Once you’ve made it, everyone sets standards for you,” he says. ![]()
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