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The room pulsed with the beat as bass from the speakers reverberated off the walls. At Club NOTO on Saturday night, the crowd pressed toward the stage while Uncle Waffles commanded the decks beneath a glowing backdrop of a cartoon woman flying through city streets on a motorcycle. Chants of “Waffles” rang through the room as the dance floor continued to fill with people. Uncle Waffles had touched down in Houston.
The DJ and producer, born Lungelihle Zwane in Eswatini, had become one of the brightest lights of the Amapiano movement. Based in South Africa, she built her reputation on high-energy performances where music, movement, and atmosphere converged.
She first broke through in 2021 when a clip of her dancing behind the decks to Young Stunna’s “Adiwele” went viral. That moment introduced the world to a performer who paired technical mixing with undeniable stage presence. Since then she released multi-platinum singles like “Tanzania,” dropped well-received projects including Red Dragon, Asylum, and Solace, and grew her profile with nonstop touring across Europe, North America, and Australia.
She became the first Amapiano artist to perform at Coachella, headlined Brooklyn Mirage in New York as the first Black woman DJ to do so, and earned recognition from global stars after Beyoncé incorporated her music into the Renaissance World Tour. Those milestones, along with multiple award nominations and a growing fan base, cemented her as one of the leading figures taking Amapiano from its South African roots to an international stage.
Audiences at NOTO witnessed a night that reflected the qualities that made her a worldwide draw. Fresh off of recent shows including New York, London, and Dallas Uncle Waffles is straight to the point, delivering high paced beats to an audience dedicated to dance. The room was awash with energy as bottle girls moved through the crow holding flashing sparklers, fans stood on couches cheering and blowing whistles, and peopledanced amongst the heat.
Her stage name had its roots in high school. Friends first called her “Waffles,” and later added the “Uncle” for flair, creating a moniker that was both playful and unforgettable. The combination stuck, and the name now echoes in chants at clubs and festivals around the world.
As an artist, Uncle Waffles has always been more than a DJ dropping tracks. She embodies the music physically, moving in rhythm with every transition and every drop. That connection between body and sound has made her sets as much a performance as they are a party. She represents a new generation of African artists expanding the reach of Amapiano, not by diluting its sound but by amplifying its energy for audiences far beyond Johannesburg.
For fans in Houston who packed into Club NOTO, the night offered both a glimpse of the genre’s global rise and a firsthand reminder of why Uncle Waffles has become its most visible ambassador.
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DeVaughn Douglas
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