Uncle Waffles Profile - Early Life, Education, Career Achievements, Songs, Awards and Nominations

Lungelihle Zwane (born March 30, 2000), professionally known as Uncle Waffles, is a DJ and record producer from Eswatini, now based in South Africa. She is well-known for her contributions to the amapiano genre and her impressive dance skills. Uncle Waffles has been described by Billboard as the "princess of amapiano." Her debut single, "Tanzania," achieved great success, reaching number one in South Africa and earning a 7x platinum certification.

Early Life and Education

Lungelihle Zwane, known as Uncle Waffles, was born and raised in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). She was brought up by her grandmother, as she didn't know her parents during her early years. Uncle Waffles reconciled with her mother as a teenager, although their relationship remained strained. Growing up, she was influenced by South African house and kwaito music from artists like Black Coffee, Lebo Mathosa, and DJ Kent.

Before becoming a successful DJ, Zwane worked as a television presenter on Studio1 for Eswatini TV. She left the show in January 2022. It was at this studio that she was first introduced to DJing, thanks to a friend who also worked there and showed her a fifteen-year-old set of DJ decks. Later, she moved to South Africa to attend university, where her DJing career began to flourish.

Career

Uncle Waffles learned to DJ in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdowns, practicing for eight hours daily. She signed with the South African creative agency KreativeKornerr, which helped her break into the competitive music industry. Her big break came in October 2021, when a video of her dancing to 'Adiwele' by Young Stunna during a set at Zone 6 nightclub in Soweto went viral.

Following her rise to fame, Uncle Waffles began producing music and released her debut single, 'Tanzania,' in March 2022, which became a major hit. The single was part of her debut EP, 'Red Dragon,' which was released later that month. The success of 'Tanzania' established her as a significant figure in the amapiano genre, with Rolling Stone naming it one of the best afropop songs of 2022.

In April 2022, she embarked on her first tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland, headlining shows with DJ Maphorisa and Focalistic. She also launched a residency on BBC Radio 1 and became the only DJ to perform at the 2022 Global Citizen Festival in Accra. Uncle Waffles collaborated with KFC South Africa to create a limited-edition 'Uncle Waffles burger' and later went on concert tours in the United States and Australia.

Her second EP, 'Asylum,' released in March 2023, quickly achieved gold certification by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RISA). In April 2023, she made history as the first amapiano musician to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. She gained further recognition when Beyoncé sampled her song 'Tanzania' during the Renaissance World Tour.

Uncle Waffles continued to release new music, including the EP 'Solace' in 2023, which was described as a double-sided project titled 'An Asylum of Solace.' In 2024, she released the single 'Wadibusa,' which charted on local and international charts. Her 'Less Talk, More Piano Tour' is set to begin on June 2, 2024, in Paris and continue through November in Asia.

Discography

EPs

2022 - Red Dragon

2023 - Asylum

2023 - Solace

Singles

2022 - Tanzania

2023 - Yahyuppiyah

2023 - Echoes

2023 - Peacock (Revisit)

2024 - Wadibusa

Accolades

Awards

2022 - Best DJ Africa

2023 - Woman of the Year

Nominations

2022 - Best African DJ - All Africa Music Awards, 2022

2022 - Best Female Artist in Southern Africa 

2023 - African DJ of the Year

2023 - Best International Act

2023 - Best Southern African Artist of the Year

2023 - Best African Music Act

2024 - African Song of the Year