Dancer and Artist Nqobilé Talks Protecting Amapiano on Martell’s Swift Conversations

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“I think what Afrobeats dance is now, seeing it on a global scale, it’s gone international. And when we started, that was our goal. We wanted to create that,” says British South African dancer, entertainer, and artist Nqobilé. She joins Martell’s cultural ambassador, Sheniece Charway, on the sixth episode of Swift Conversations to reflect on her journey from co-founding the dance trio CEO Dancers and reaching the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent, to evolving into a solo artist shaping the UK’s Amapiano movement.

Nqobilé has performed with superstars like Rihanna and Drake. The two start their conversation in the kitchen, where the artist fixes a double shot of Martell on the rocks while sharing her hopes for the future. For her, it’s important to champion the people behind the sound. “When Amapiano first came out, I feel like people didn’t give it a chance to just be. Everyone wanted to sub-genre it — Afropiano, Jamapiano. It’s like, no, Amapiano is Amapiano, from South Africa. Celebrate the people that actually created the sound,” she says. She would like to see South Africans receive greater recognition for their work. “It’s our time. What a time for us. Allow us to just do our thing.”

Nqobilé, who recently released her single “KUSE,” stresses the importance of collaboration. She mixes the drink with orange juice and garnishes it with lime before the two sit down together. Charley expresses her admiration for the dancer, recalling moments years ago when she watched her perform on global stages. “You literally paved the way for a lot of people to understand African music and dance,” she says.

Nqobilé reflects on entering an industry where African identity was often overlooked. “It wasn’t a cool thing, and we were just boldly, loudly African girls,” she says. “I wanted to inspire other women to embrace who they are and own their African pride and culture.”

Together, they discuss staying power in a male-dominated industry, the power of collaboration over competition, and the meaning behind her EP, Dance or Die, which encourages listeners to dance with life through every challenge.