The Rising African Music Genres of 2026

As 2026 gets underway, OkayAfrica is compiling a list of the most exciting genres emerging from across the continent. Each passing year introduces new sounds and approaches that expand the canon of African music — local movements that, at times, ripple outward and find resonance on global stages.

In South Africa, lekompo and Bacardi house are staking a serious claim as the country’s next export-ready sounds, rooted in specific communities yet engineered for wide circulation. Meanwhile, Krio Fusion is positioning Sierra Leone for a long-overdue shift from the margins to the centre, while Way-Way has embedded itself in Algerian youth culture, spreading rapidly through YouTube links and street-level circulation. 

Read on to learn more about the rising sounds of the moment.

Lekompo (South Africa) 

Lekompo is the strange, alluring cousin to bolobedu house; the youngest grandchild of tsa manyalo; and a distant relative of Shangaan electro, wrapped in a shiny package that borrows from other South African electronic variants such as gqom and amapiano. Its roots lie in the bolobedu house sound popularized by artists like Wanitwa Mos (formerly Master KG) and King Monada, the celebratory spirit of tsa manyalo, a Limpopo genre commonly played at village weddings, and the fast-paced rhythms and unflinchingly raw instrumentation of Shangaan electro – are blended into something both familiar and new. What sets lekompo apart is its attitude: a strain of social consciousness carried by its lyricists, a vast and growing cast that includes Shebeshxt — currently in prison following the issuance of a warrant for his arrest on allegations of shooting and seriously wounding a fan — Makhadzi, who has powered through with near-singular focus to build an extraordinary following, and Kharishma, the relative newcomer whose hit-making streak places her in conversation with the genre’s elders. 

From late 2023, sparked by bangers like Shebeshxt’s “Ke Di Shxt Malume,” and stretching into 2024 via Kharishma’s boundary-pushing smash “Chokeslem,” the sound has expanded, evolving from a regional concern into a fully national affair. Last year brought critical breakthrough collaborations – most notably Shebeshxt’s “Rato Laka” featuring the canonical genre-shifter, Zee Nxumalo – that kept lekompo front of mind. This year, however, will determine whether the genre remains comfortable in its current position, setting trends and making waves, or whether the collective ambitions of its artists – from Shandesh and Tribby Wadi Bhozza to Real K Mfanakota and others – can propel it towards the kind of success and continental recognition long enjoyed by amapiano. — Tšeliso Monaheng

Krio Fusion (Sierra Leone) 

Krio Fusion is a contemporary blend of traditional Sierra Leonean genres like bubu and gumbay with popular West African genres such as Afrobeats, rap, and Afropop. Krio Fusion is heavily defined by its inclusion of Krio, the English-based creole language commonly spoken in Sierra Leone. It’s similar to the broken English known as pidgin and spoken in other West African countries like Nigeria and Ghana. Like Krio, pidgin has always been a staple in much of the music coming out of the West African region. 

Krio Fusion is dynamic in that it shifts through sounds. In “Control,” a danceable track built on a two-step beat by Freetown-born singer ApreeL, Krio Fusion is upbeat and closely resembles Afropop. Meanwhile, “Sabi Road” by another Krio Fusion artist Driziik takes a more hip-hop slant, while maintaining the anecdotal and locally grounded lyricism popular with the genre. What’s clear about Krio Fusion is that it is turning a light on the incredibly inventive musical prowess of rising Sierra Leonean artists. 

“Krio Fusion is not just a playlist, it's a message that reminds the people of Sierra Leone that our growth as a nation in terms of music is not really out there, it's in here. It's already a tool that we can use to get everything we want that's out there,” ApreeL tells OkayAfrica in a written message. “The use of our local languages in music has never been this exciting. To me personally, I think this is the only way the outside world would sense the difference and pay attention to us. And Krio Fusion playlists standing on the forefront to push these sounds is a big win for all of Sierra Leone.”

Already gaining traction and interest from stars like Mr Eazi, if West Africa is looking for a new frontier in African music, Krio Fusion has all it takes, the swag, the bite, the emotional and technical complexity, to rise to the task. — Nelson C.J

Way-Way (Algeria) 

Way-Way, a modern fusion of traditional influences funneled through hip-hop and the bro-step sound popularised by Skrillex, feels like the music one would play at a public square on the eve of a revolution. Layered synths strain to outcompete equally forceful drums, while vocals shift between singing and rapping, signaling the urgency of the sonic intervention. What began as an offhand phrase in club tracks and street recordings has since hardened into a distinct, hyper-digital identity, blending traditional Algerian raï roots with DIY production and youth-driven internet culture. 

Originating in the port city of Oran in the early 20th century, raï has always been the music of the people, a genre whose name translates to “opinion,” and whose function has been to voice the everyday realities that shape and propel societal change. “It’s not charted. It’s not on the radio. It’s nowhere, but it outcharts everyone on YouTube,” producer-artist Zouj told OkayAfrica. Way-Way absorbs raï’s dance sensibilities, flips them through a chaotic sonic field powered by internet culture, and recodes them via maximalist production and autotune-heavy vocals that spill straight onto YouTube without seeking permission from the mainstream. What distinguishes Way-Way from both classic raï and mainstream pop is its mode of creation and circulation. These are songs made for immediate digital release: recorded with whatever equipment is at hand, uploaded to reach listeners directly, and spread across social platforms faster than any label-driven campaign. For starters, tap into Zouj’s Sabahu Al Kheir Men Zouj EP, which features tracks like “Hasni 1993” by Losez, LAÏ, and syklone, as well as “Waah Rani Lachit” by Pakkun. — TM

Bacardi House (South Africa) 

The mid-2000s marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of South African electronic music. Black and Brown communities were beginning to see through the smokescreen of post-’94 liberation, and the music needed to reflect that awakening. Kwaito had run its course, laying the groundwork for faster, more rebellious variants to take centre stage. From the coastal city of Durban came ‘Durban kwaito, ‘with artists like DJ Tira and Zakes Bantwini accelerating the tempo and foregrounding their locale, while the interior struggled to reconfigure itself amid an influx of house variants springing up across the country. 

Out of this confusion emerged Bacardi house — also known as lezenke — a bare-bones sonic rebellion that channelled the frustrations of township youth in Pretoria, roughly 60km north of Johannesburg, driven by the singular visions of DJs Mujava and the late Spoko. It was urgent, stripped of the post-2000 sheen that mainstream music had embraced. School kids devoured it, taxis couldn’t stop playing it, and purists were properly irritated. 

The sound never disappeared; instead, it remained a mainstay of underground culture, resurfacing at pivotal moments in South African history. It re-entered mainstream conversation when artists like Focalistic began folding it into their amapiano hybrids, piquing public interest and pulling new listeners in. Last year, almost by accident, Big Baller CEO’s “Hlaba O Be Wete” became a trending sound across social media, marking a significant transition for the genre. Still, these breakthrough moments are sustained by artists who continue to put in the work long after the spotlight fades — figures like Ennyman Da Guitar and Sia_TheBee. In 2026, Bacardi house seems poised to grow even stronger on the foundation that has been laid, and it will be interesting to see who carries the conversation forward this time around. — TM