Lekompo is becoming South Africa’s next global genre export

Lekompo is rapidly taking its place alongside Gqom, Amapiano, Kwaito and House as one of South Africa’s most promising musical exports, but for the uninitiated, the sound is best understood through where it comes from.

“Lekompo is deeply rooted in Limpopo, drawing from Tsonga, Pedi, and Venda cultures, including languages like Khelobedu,” said Nelo Mathenjwa, who will moderate The Lekompo Wave panel at the upcoming Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC).

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Its influence, he explains, runs deeper than vocals, it lives in the rhythm, the cadence, the energy.

“It has a very distinct bounce and groove that feels both traditional and forward-facing at the same time.”

Why Lekompo is ready to travel

South Africa has a well-worn path when it comes to exporting sound, from Kwaito in the ’90s to house through the 2000s, and Gqom and Amapiano going properly global over the past decade. Mathenjwa believes Lekompo follows the same hyper-local-to-global pipeline, but with a sharper awareness of what comes next.

“What makes it travel is that combination of specificity and feeling. Even if you don’t understand the language, the rhythm communicates immediately. Historically, the sounds that move globally from South Africa are the ones that stay true to where they come from,” he said, speaking to The Citizen.

He’s sober-minded about the risks, too. Newer music movements, he notes, are watching what came before, “especially around ownership, timing, and how quickly things can be diluted once they go global.”

This sparks conversations about how fast Lekompo travels and how intentionally it grows when it does.

Getting the story right from the source

Now in its sixth year, the Africa Rising Music Conference returns to Constitution Hill in Johannesburg on 22 and 23 May 2026. This edition marks a significant step up: a new partnership with SAMRO, curated delegations from Australia and Uganda, and participants arriving from Germany, the US, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

For Mathenjwa, having genre architects Janesh and Hitboss SA in the room this early is the point.

“The story of the genre can be shaped much closer to its source, rather than being interpreted from the outside later.”

Platforms like ARMC are creating direct dialogue between emerging African movements and global decision-makers, media, festivals and cultural leaders who will eventually amplify them.

Streaming, editorial, and the algorithm doing its bit

Mathenjwa also points to digital platforms as key players in Lekompo’s rise, singling out Spotify’s playlist and editorial support as a meaningful signal.

“Spotify has spoken publicly about how quickly the culture around Lekompo is moving and how listeners are responding strongly to sounds that feel authentic and community-driven.”

That kind of institutional acknowledgement, he says, helps the genre land both nationally and internationally without losing its regional roots.

These conversations allow the culture behind the music to travel alongside the music itself, which, for a genre so deeply tied to specific communities, language, dance culture and lived experience, matters enormously.

What the global industry still gets wrong

The international music business is quick to spot a new sound. What it’s slower on, Mathenjwa says, is context, attribution and long-term support for the people who actually built the movement.

Conferences like ARMC, he argues, help close that gap early, creating “a more informed exchange” that ensures African sounds scale globally with greater respect, awareness and economic inclusion for the communities driving them.

The Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC) returns to Constitution Hill in Johannesburg on 22 and 23 May 2026 with a bold, future-focused agenda, bringing together influential voices, unlocking international markets and tackling some of the industry’s most urgent conversations. Picture: Supplied

This year’s programme also features Grammy-recognised artist TRESOR and vocalist Brenda Mtambo, spotlighting mental health in the music industry.

Additionally, attendees can look forward to a new Community Access Pledge, delivered in partnership with She said.so South Africa, Bridges for Music, The Cradle Crew (CoSemo Collective) and BTCH$ LUV. This initiative will redistribute tickets to young artists, entrepreneurs and future industry leaders.

Phase 2 tickets are available via Quicket. General conference tickets are priced at R150, with VIP tickets at R500.

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