A reference to its originator (Nozinja), who is of Shangaan descent and coined the term – electro indicates a faster, edgier style of music than its disco predecessor (Tsonga and Shangaan are often used interchangeably to denote to the same people, though  there is some controversy as to whether this is accurate).

The ‘Shangaan, Tsonga’ namesakes are references to ethnic groups, while Xitsonga is their respective language. ‘Shangaan’ is technically a subset of the ‘Tsonga’ group, though it carriers a derogatory historical connotation; and so while the terms were used interchangeably for years, today “Tsonga” is considered more appropriate and therefore more widely used.  

‘Shangaan’’s potential for derogatory/offensive implications depends on the context, speaker, and audience; for example Nozinja famously coined the term ‘Shangaan electro’ while being of Shangaan descent; however in a political context it might illicit considerable blowback.  

Other names: Xitsonga Electro, Shangaan Electro

Synthesizers, drum machines, electric instruments.

Tsonga disco, electro.

Shangaan (also called ‘Tsonga,’ or more recently ‘Xitsonga’) electro is essentially a sped-up form of Tsonga Disco that benefited from viral YouTube and internet streaming circulation, culminating in niche popular interest in the US and Europe. Shangaan or Xitsonga electro (the latter being an arguably more politically correct term for the genre) and its surrounding culture was innovated and spearheaded exclusively by Richard “Nozinja” Mthetwa, who has been producing and distributing Xitsonga electro since he moved to Soweto from his native town of Gyani, Limpopo in 2006. Nozinja and his dance troupes also innovated a particular style of fast-paced dancing to accompany Xitsonga electro and further solidify the genre’s neo-traditional representation of Tsonga culture.

The Xitsonga electro sound is characterized chiefly by its breakneck speed, spanning anywhere from 150 to 190 beats-per-minute, but typically centered around 180 BPM. There is also a noticeable absence of bass that seems aesthetically deviant from the typical dance music script, generating a ‘frictionless’ quality in the vacancy of a grounding sonic element. The absence of a sub kick or synth bassline, in addition to the double-time pacing, seems to coincide with faster-paced genres like Chicago footwork that have similarly experienced a second-wave resurgence in popularity  ¹. The music, like most popular South African genres beginning in the 1980s, is almost entirely electronic, with the exception of the vocals, which play a secondary and minimalist role to the instrumentation that drives the music (since it is fundamentally a type of dance music). Percussive elements, mainly synth marimbas, and keyboard riffs instead dominate the sound.

Though Xitsonga Electro experienced regional popularity from its onset, it experienced a second wave of overseas popularity in 2010 with the release of the Honest Jons compilation Shangaan Electro: New Wave Dance Music From South Africa. YouTube videos depicting the music’s rapid-fire frenzied footwork dance also helped suddenly redirect the genre’s audience to become somewhat of a viral phenomenon. In this respect, Xitsonga Electro parallels Gqom in the sense that it achieved overseas popularity long by way of a grassroots (albeit Internet-mediated) distribution means, without the help of the commercial music industry. As was also the case for gqom, Xitsonga electro did not reach production studios until it had already independently developed a considerable fanbase. Though Xitsonga electro never made its way solidly into the commercial pop sphere of South African music, the genre continues to maintain a profile as artists have advanced the genre and applied its elements to their own music, for example by sampling or recreating the sound with the addition of accentuated backbeats that bring it back to a “half-time” feel that is more relatable to today’s 80-90 BPM-range pop music   ^1,2,3.

Tshetsha Boys – “Nwampfundla” (2010) – The original Shangaan (Tsonga) electro style:

John Wizards – “Limpop” (2013) – Another South African group’s take on the genre, which leans more on a half-time feel with occasional streaks into that classic Shangaan 180 BPM style – arguably making it more palatable to a wider audience:

Muzi – “People” (2017) – This song retains the same pitched up vocal elements and double-time feel and rhythmic structure of true Shangaan electro, but is comparatively slowed down to 140 BPM:

(Pitchfork) Shangaan Electro: New Wave Dance Music From South Africa ¹

(The Guardian) Shangaan electro: the Soweto dance craze that’s about to go global ²

(Fact) “No speed, no dance”: Shangaan electro hits London ³