With 12 years of experience under his belt, Thuly Thulz, the director of Until Until events, feels some big-name Amapiano artists need to step up their professionalism game.
Amapiano is one of the music genres that has taken Mzansi by storm and cemented itself as one of the country’s most beloved and versatile sounds. With its unique blend of house, jazz, and a bit of kwaito, amapiano has not only dominated local charts but has also reached global status.
Will the same artists who contributed to propelling the genre to international recognition possibly be its downfall?
Thulz (real name is Thulani Dandala) opened up about his frustrating experiences working with Amapiano acts in an X post, highlighting chronic lateness, mismanagement, and a general disregard for professionalism.
“After almost 12 years in the events industry, I've dealt with all kinds of artists, from global superstars to rising local talent.
“I've learned to expect last-minute challenges, but one thing I can't wrap my head around is the sheer lack of professionalism from so many Amapiano acts,” he said.
He recounted a recent incident at Holiday Club, where an Amapiano artist attempted to change their set time just two hours before they were scheduled to perform. Another artist showed up 30 minutes late, leaving the events director and his team scrambling to get everything ready.
Unfortunately, these incidents are not isolated. Thulz estimated that at least 80% of the time he books an Amapiano act, they are late. He also revealed that his team has started placing bets on which artist will be the latest.
To further illustrate the challenges of working with some amapiano artists, @Dj13sa on X shared his own frustrating experience:
“I’ve had a few big prominent Amapiano artists send me their Capitec card number when it was time for invoicing. 🙇🏽♀️🙈 We’re speaking sums of over 60+ K, no business account, no invoice and all the works. Management takes time to reply to emails or texts.”
I’ve had a few big prominent Yanos artist send me their Capitec card number when it was time for invoicing.🙇🏽♂️🙈 We’re speaking sums of over 60+ K, no business account, no invoice and all the works.
— DJ13SA (@Dj13Sa) March 10, 2025
Management takes time to reply to emails or texts.
It does not stop there. Thulz has experienced instances where Amapiano artists have missed entire shows, with two separate artists from the same agency failing to show up for their scheduled performances.
So, what's behind this lack of professionalism? Thulz believes it's a combination of overbooking and mismanagement.
“Amapiano artists are taking too many gigs a day, then inevitably showing up late (or exhausted) for all of them. It's pure gluttony.
“On top of that, their teams, who are often made up of friends and family, aren't equipped to handle artist logistics at this level,” he adds.
However, he also notes that not all Amapiano artists are unprofessional, praising artists like Dench, Sfarzo Rtee, Major League, Bunnies, and Mandisa, who have consistently demonstrated professionalism and reliability.
He adds that if event goers wonder why they keep seeing the same artists on line-ups, it’s because those artists “take their jobs seriously”.
As Thulz put it, “I love amapiano, I love the impact it's had and how it’s grown African dance culture worldwide. But for f***'s sake, get it together, guys!!!”
With the Amapiano wave showing no signs of slowing down, Thulz's warning to artists is quite clear: get it together or risk being left behind.