Tyler ICU (born as Austin Khulani Baloyi) has made significant contributions to the amapiano music genre.
As a renowned South African musician and record producer, he has played a crucial role in shaping the sound of amapiano.
His music career began at a young age, and he was mentored by DJ Maphorisa, a prominent figure in the amapiano scene. This later saw him collaborate with various artists, including DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, and King Monada, producing hits like Banyana and Mnike.
His unique style, which blends deep house, melodic piano tunes, and irresistible beats, has helped to popularise amapiano globally.
Tyler ICU’s performances, such as his soulful DJ mix at the Defected Broadcasting House, have showcased his talent as a mixer and music selector, leaving audiences eager for more.
Tyler ICU has contributed to the amapiano genre through his innovative productions, which includes collaborations with top artists, resulting in chart-topping hits, unique sound, and global performances.
His song Mnike has gotten worldwide recognition since its release; even American based singer and songwriter Rihanna named it as her personal song of the year in 2023.
The song became the most streamed song both locally and globally and has the SAMAS 2024 Most Streamed Song. For me, it made so much sense because who does not love themselves some amapiano with all the dance challenges they create for us on TikTok?
Taking to Facebook, Tyler shared a video of a French soccer team dancing to Mnike and wrote in his caption, “They found us.”
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