People were moving from gallery to gallery, meeting friends and enjoying the night together.
Music has probably been the easiest way for me to connect with South African culture. South African artists have gained a lot of international attention in recent years, especially artists like Tyla, whose music has helped bring South African sounds to audiences around the world. Amapiano and Gqom are two of the most popular genres here, with Amapiano known for its deep bass and piano influences and Gqom known for its electronic beats and more energetic sound. A lot of the music I hear is sung in languages like isiXhosa and isiZulu, and even when I do not understand the lyrics, I still find myself singing and dancing along. My current top three songs on rotation are "Kwandonfa Ziyaduma" by Mr Thela, "Ngibuyela Emakhaya" by Kenton Lee and "Ulele" by Heavy-K. The music also connects directly to nightlife, here. South Africans love to party, and I have been amazed by how late people stay out. People often start going out closer to midnight and stay out until the early morning, sometimes until sunrise!
Overall, the art scene in Cape Town has given me a new way to understand the country’s history while experiencing the culture of the city around me. I have learned a lot from the places I have visited and the people I have met, and I know there is still so much more I want to experience while I am here!
