The Hottest Acts We Saw at the Inaugural Afro Nation Miami 2023

Afro Nation took over Memorial Day weekend in Miami with an explosive lineup of the top Afrobeats and amapiano acts. Dubbed the "world's biggest Afrobeats festival," fans from all over the world descended on LoanDepot Park to witness magnetic performances from artists and DJs across the diaspora.

A global festival that's taken place across the world in Portugal, Puerto Rico, and Ghana, Afro Nation's inaugural U.S. festival in Miami split artists across two stages, the Piano People Stage and Main Stage, spotlighting rising amapiano acts like Aya, Skyla Tylaa, Focalistic, Uncle Waffles, Kelvin Momo, DBN Gogo, and Major League DJz. The South African genre recently gained popularity during the 2020 lockdown and has since paralleled the rise of Afrobeats with hits like Asake and Olamide's "Amapiano" and Uncle Waffle's "Tanzania."

Afro Nation also recruited dancehall artists Mavado and Shenseea (a last-minute replacement for Beenie Man's slot), Panamanian singer Sech, and French singer Dadju to diversify the global lineup. Burna Boy and Wizkid closed out the festival on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, performing their hits that have taken the world by storm.

Here are some of the noteworthy performances we saw at Afro Nation:

Nissi

Donning all white, Nissi Ogulu opened the main stage with an angelic presence. The multi-talented mechanical engineer, artist, and singer is creating her own lane with her silky blend of European and African sounds. She rocked out on the keytar during her set, and her "Afro-rooted, contemporarily driven, and globally positioned" songs prove she's way more than Burna Boy's sister. Last October, she took over the Tipsy Music Festival stage, where her brother also headlined, with a groovy performance that set the vibe for the rest of the night. She says her favorite part about hitting the stage in Miami is "the energy. Everyone's so free here." Her boundless performance at Afro Nation permeated the atmosphere with the type of liberation that makes you dance all night.

DJ Aya

Miami-based amapiano DJ Aya's fusion of amapiano, hip-hop, dancehall, and R&B has taken over parties like the Shrine and his monthly fete, Stamped. He graced the Afro Nation stage for the first time and coalesced the energy at the Piano People Stage like alchemy. He undergirded a blend of R&B with amapiano grooves, giving songs from Beyoncé and Amerie a new texture. He magnified the crowd's energy for two hours with electric South African house music. His energetic set converted newbies to the genre into fans as people waved their respective flags and danced together. Accompanied by choreographed dancers, he heightened the weekend's energy and set the tone for the rest of the amapiano DJs slated to perform. "South Africans have been doing it for a while when it comes to electronic music," Aya says. "There's a separation between West African Afrobeats, and then there's the South African Afro-tech, Afro-house, amapiano scene, so having a space for one and a space for the other was great."

CKay

The Nigerian singer-songwriter recently scored the biggest record coming out of Nigerian with his viral hit "Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)." His fiery performance included his infectious single "Hallelujah," featuring Blaqbonez, and he set the crowd ablaze with his live rendition of "Love Nwantiti." He was synergetic with friends as he danced and sang across the stage throughout his 30-minute set. As he continues dominating the world stage, his unique African-pop hits are expanding the infused sounds coming from West Africa.

Uncle Waffles

Dubbed the "princess of amapiano," the South African-based DJ and producer is taking over with her electronic blends and electrifying dances. She began her foray into DJing in 2020, and since then, she's taken over the charts in South Africa with hits like "Tanzania." Donning bright green hair and flanked by dancers, she lit up the night with a fusion of South African house and amapiano. A massive crowd hugged the stage to watch her dance and cultivate a palpable blend. As the glaring sun faded into the night, she evoked magnetic energy and left dancing fans chanting, "Waffles, we want to party!"

Mavado

Mavado, AKA the Gully God, stomped onto the main stage to perform a slew of hits, including "Wah Dem a Do" and "Hope and Pray." The longtime dancehall vet blazed through his set with some of his biggest songs, igniting a wave of Caribbean flags around the stadium. Fans chanted his lyrics as he bounced and jumped across the stage, exemplifying the global impact of the Jamaican deejay's music.

Burna Boy

One of the most popular Afro-fusion Nigerian artists, Burna Boy, AKA the African Giant, dominated his performance with his vibrant band and a grin so infectious it radiated from the stage to every corner of the stadium. His stage presence was smooth and mesmerizing as he sang through a blend of hits and deep cuts like "Science," "Secret," "Toni-Ann Singh" featuring Popcaan, "For My Hand" featuring Ed Shereen, "Kilometre," and "Last Last.' He emanated a jazzy vibe with a solo performance from his saxophonist, and at one point, stopped singing to let the packed stadium finish the lyrics to his songs. A global Afrobeats sensation, Burna Boy's set at Afro Nation combined the diasporic sounds of the night into an incomparable performance.

Kelvin Momo

Kelvin Momo set the energy for Afro Nation's second day with a blend of South African house, amapiano, jazz, gospel, and R&B, known as "private school amapiano." A throng danced and flocked to the Piano People Stage as he transitioned from South African house to gospel to R&B with a sleek tempo. He finessed through a soulful performance that showcased his skills as a studied DJ and fully encompassed Sunday's cathartic atmosphere.

Shenseea

Shenseea's pop-tinged dancehall has catapulted her into the spotlight over the last few years. She was recruited last minute to replace Beenie Man's slot, and she took the baton with captivating choreography and a set brimming with her most popular songs, including "Blessed," "Lick," "The Sidechick Song," "Curious," "Rebel," and "Shen Yeng Anthem." Shenseea donned red from head to toe, and the stage was flanked by a thick crowd of fans as she snaked and wined throughout her set with dancers. She held the attention with unapologetic sex appeal and championed women's pleasure and autonomy with straightforward lyrics about foreplay. She meshed dancehall's cultural roots with her unique style, tracing the line from iconic acts like Beenie Man to her contemporary dancehall-pop fusion.

Rema

Rising Nigerian star Rema appeared on the Afro Nation's Main Stage, surrounded by a pyrotechnic flash of colors. He condensed an hours-long concert into an eclectic set consisting of his band and a giant dancing bear. Dubbing his music "Afrorave," his set was brimming with an unparalleled fusion of electronic, Afrobeats, and pop. He performed his Selena Gomez-assisted hit "Calm Down," which recently set the record for an Africa-based artist on the Billboard Hot 100. But his 2021 dance-inducing earworm "Soundgasm" set the crowd ablaze. Rema's performance was nothing short of spectacular.

Major League DJz

South Africa-based twin DJs Banele and Bandile Mbere have established themselves as one of the most popular amapiano duos, performing under the name Major League DJs. They recently teamed up with Major Lazer, made up of South Florida natives Walshy Fire and Diplo, for their latest album, Piano Republik. The pair injected the night with a cornucopia of South African house music and amapiano. A tightly packed crowd raised their cups and flags to the electric set, featuring surprise guest Kali who performed her viral smash "Area Codes."

Wizkid

The "Starboy" of Afrobeats, Wizkid, sparkled on the Main Stage as he closed out Afro Nation. The day-two headliner emerged onto the stage with blue glitter pants, a Givenchy chain belt, red shades, and a white tank top. The barrier-breaking artist was a rockstar as he smoothly transitioned from his dancehall-tinged songs like "Come Closer" and "Ginger" featuring Burna Boy. With over a decade in the game, Wizkid breezed through back-to-back bangers for an hour. The biggest Afrobeats star closing out the biggest Afrobeats festival was a momentous experience that one just had to be there to witness.