Uncle Waffles is the stage name of Lungelihle Zwane, a Swazi-born DJ and record producer based in South Africa.
She is known for her work in the amapiano genre, which blends deep house, jazz, and lounge music, and her dance abilities.
Her debut single, Tanzania, reached number one in South Africa and was certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry of South Africa.
Uncle Waffles learned how to DJ during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 and claims to have practiced for eight hours each day.
She signed with South African creative agency KreativeKornerr, who managed to book gigs for her in the country’s heavily saturated music industry.
After filling in for a withdrawn DJ at the Zone 6 nightclub in Soweto in October 2021, she gained prominence after a video of her dancing to the song went viral.
Uncle Waffles has rapidly risen to her rightful title as the princess of amapiano and has performed on one of the biggest music stages, Coachella.
She uses her dance moves to translate the music, so the audience can understand the song even if they don’t speak the language.
Uncle Waffles age
The DJ was born on March 20, 2000, making her 23 years old as of September 2023.
Uncle Waffles career
During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Uncle Waffles learned how to DJ and claims to have practiced for eight hours each day.
She was inspired by the rising amapiano movement, a South African subgenre of house and piano-led jazz.
In 2021, Uncle Waffles signed with South African creative agency KreativeKornerr, who managed to book gigs for her in the country’s heavily saturated” music industry.
In October that year, she gained prominence after filling in for a withdrawn DJ at the Zone 6 nightclub in Soweto, and a video of her dancing to the song, Adiwele, by Young Stunna during her set went viral.
Come 2022, Uncle Waffles released her debut music video for the track, Tanzania.
Later that year, she announced that she would be hosting a residency on BBC Radio, making her the only DJ to perform at the 2022 Global Citizen Festival in Accra.
Uncle Waffles also partnered with KFC South Africa to launch an exclusive, Uncle Waffles burger.
Most recently, it was reported that Uncle Waffles is set to perform at Coachella, one of the biggest music stages, where she will showcase South African amapiano.
She has been praised as the princess of amapiano and has gained recognition for her dance moves that help translate the music, even for those who don’t understand the lyrics.
Raised under her grandmother’s wing, Uncle Waffles journeyed to South Africa, fueled by her ambition to unearth greater opportunities in the bustling music industry.
