Uncle Waffles Becomes First Female Artist on The Cover Of Rolling Stone Africa

Uncle Waffles, real name Lungelihle Zwane, is an Amapiano DJ and producer from Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland.

She made history recently by becoming the first female musician to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone Africa since its launch in 2024.

With her captivating performances, distinct style, and indisputable impact on the Amapiano music movement, she has enthralled audiences across the world.

The Rolling Stone cover story delves into her remarkable career, showing how she became a worldwide sensation in the world of Amapiano music.

Uncle Waffles shared the news with her fans on her Instagram page, beaming with joy. “Thank you, Rolling Stone Africa, cover girl,” she captioned.

This historic accomplishment solidifies Uncle Waffles’ position as a pioneer in the Amapiano scene and signifies an important turning point in the history of African music.

According to D.R. Bellegarde Smeralda, the CEO of Rolling Stone Africa, for the February cover, Rolling Stone Africa wanted someone with an African success story that would appeal to young people.

The CEO went on to state that  Uncle Waffles was the ideal choice since she combined flair, music, and an exuberant performance.

Uncle Waffles Rise to Fame

Uncle Waffles, whose real name is Lungelihle Zwane, is a 24-year-old Eswatini DJ and record producer who resides in South Africa.

She grew up in Eswatini and was raised by her grandmother, as she didn’t know her parents until she met her mother as a teenager.

Zwane was introduced to DJing for the first time by a friend on Studio1 on Eswatini TV, where Zwane was a television presenter.

She rose to fame in 2022 after claims to have rehearsed for eight hours every day when learning how to DJ during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020.

In an interview, she stated that her friends were the ones who came up with the name “Uncle Waffles.”

“They used to call me Waffles because of some Teen Titans song. After high school, they were like, ‘This Uncle thing is really cool, so it’s gonna sound really cool if you call yourself an Uncle,’” she said.

“It went from just being called Waffles to Uncle Waffles. Then, when I started playing, everyone told me to keep the name because it’s unique,” she added.

In October 2021, Uncle Waffles filled in for a reclusive DJ at the Zone 6 nightclub in Soweto and became popular after a video of her dancing to Young Stunna’s “Adiwele” during her set went viral.

She then transitioned into music production, releasing her first song “Tanzania” in March 2022 in advance of the release of her first extended play (EP), “Red Dragon,” later that same month.

Due to Uncle Waffle’s expanding influence, which has resulted in international tours, and performances at major festivals, she is now one of Africa’s most rated DJs and producers.