Uncle Waffles might be one of the most recognizable names in global dance music right now, but when she steps onstage, it’s not just about the tracks she spins, it’s about creating a full-on experience. The Eswatini-born DJ and producer brought that energy to Pier 17 on Sunday, Sept. 14 for the New York stop on her “We Love Waffles” tour, delivering a night full of rhythm, culture and movement under the city skyline.
In 2024, Waffles made history as the first Black woman to headline The Brooklyn Mirage in New York. Now, just a year later, she’s returned with even more momentum. In the past year alone, she’s sat front row at Paris Fashion Week, turned heads at Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton show, landed a coveted spot in Adidas’ global “Superstar: The Original” campaign, and dropped a remix with Joey Bada$$. Add in another BET nomination for Best International Act, and it’s safe to say she’s leveling up, fast.
Still, NYC holds a special place in her heart. “The show was amazing,” she tells ESSENCE. “New York is always great. There’s so many Africans here. The diaspora here is huge so I always feel very welcomed.”
That mutual love between Waffles and the diaspora community is part of what’s fueled her rise. While many know her for her crowd-favorite dance sets or fashion-forward visuals, it’s her connection with fans, no matter the language or location, that keeps her grounded.
“There are so many [defining moments],” she says, while reflecting on her journey so far. “The [Brooklyn] Mirage is definitely huge. It’s huge for my career trajectory. Doing the Louis Vuitton fashion show for the first time was really amazing because what’s crazy is [that] when I blew up in 2021, they asked me to write a list of things that I [wanted] to do. I wrote Louis Vuitton and everyone was like, ‘I mean, you blew up girl, but…’”
From Times Square billboards to being the first amapiano act to perform at Coachella in 2023 and also having stars like Kelly Rowland and Missy Elliot pulling up to her shows, Waffles’ manifestation list is filling up—but she’s not done dreaming big. “I was a bit ambitious. Well, I still am ambitious,” she says with a laugh, when asked if she’s close to checking everything off.
Among the items left on her list? “Collaboration with Beyoncé. Yeah, I’m pushing it. I know. I know,” she says. “To have a star-studded album because I haven’t released an album yet. I’m very scared because albums are so impactful… So important. You know? People have debut albums, and [it] changes their lives. I need to make sure mine is amazing.”
The 25-year-old is also dreaming of something more personal. “Building a big house. I know that sounds dumb, but as someone who’s never stayed in a home that was ours growing up… You know having something that’s mine is gonna be a huge thing for me,” she shares. And yes, it’ll be in South Africa, where she is based.
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Before she was Uncle Waffles, born Lungelihle Zwane, she was a young woman in Eswatini discovering DJ decks at a local TV station. She immersed herself in amapiano—a South African subgenre of house and piano-led jazz that was taking over clubs right before lockdown—and taught herself to DJ for hours each day during the pandemic. But it wasn’t until a last-minute booking in 2021, and a now-viral Instagram video, that everything changed.
Now, she’s not only a force behind the decks, but also a cultural ambassador for a genre that continues to expand across the globe. “Initially, there was always inspiration. TXC [and] DBN Gogo were doing it already. You know, they created the space for amapiano females,” she says. “So when I emerged, I realized that performing is very important for people to engage with the music even though they don’t understand the music. Because language is a big barrier for us right now, but everyone always understands dance.”
Dance has always been a signature part of Waffles’ style and a bridge to audiences worldwide. “I want to always make sure that the performance is huge so people never feel like they’re lost. They always feel like they’re engaged with us no matter what,” the “ZENZELE” hitmaker explains. “Even if the song sounds like gibberish they know that move and that’s what matters.”
She credits choreographer Lee-ché Janecke, who also works with Tyla, for helping her shape a stage presence that balances DJing and performing seamlessly. “When we first started working together, he understood my vision very well, what exactly I wanted Uncle Waffles to look like to the world,” she says. “So with him, we kind of put together what feels like a balance between DJing and performing.”
Even as amapiano grows more mainstream, Waffles believes its magic lies in how collaborative and multidimensional the genre is. “I feel like piano is the only genre that’s emerged within the last ten years that’s extremely unique where you have DJs, producers, vocalists, dancers, all equally as important,” she explains. “Unlike other genres, there’s many ways to find it and connect to it.”
And what’s next? “I haven’t released music this year because this year has been a very taxing year in terms of performances and festivals. But I’m releasing a project this year.” she teases. But don’t expect a full album just yet. “This will be another EP. I’m not ready to drop an album, okay? But I’m gonna be ready soon—we’re working on it.”
Uncle Waffles isn’t just mixing records; she’s rewriting what global stardom looks like for a young African woman. And as her vision board keeps expanding, so does the culture she represents—one beat, one dance move, and one dream at a time.
