Kamo Mphela’s TikTok success shows social media platform’s power in music consumption

There was a time when a hot song needed an equally great video if not better, for it to pivot. But the advancement of social media has given artists another avenue for their art to reach unfathomable heights.

Outside of ‘traditional’ social media platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, TikTok has rapidly become an additional platform for extending the lifespan of a song and its impact.

The likes of Tyla and now Kamo Mphela are penetrating global markets at a pace that would leave a Brenda Fassie or a Lebo Mathosa green with envy.

Since its release in October, Kamo Mphela’s chart-topping single Dalie, has accumulated more than 1.86 billion views and more than 120 million likes from fans across the globe on TikTok.  

The Ampiano love song was written by Mphela and she says she’s amazed by how the song has been received.

“I crafted this love song on an up-tempo Amapiano beat, and the incredible response has left me profoundly grateful. The encouragement I’ve received fuels my passion, enabling me to share my creativity with the world.”

“TikTok is a space where we can celebrate authenticity, express creativity, and connect with like-minded individuals. The support I’ve received for Dalie and the #daliechallenge has been a tremendous source of motivation and encouragement,” said 24 year-old Mphela.

ALOS READ: Quantifying music sensation Tyla’s impact in numbers

The influence of challenges

The #daliechallenge hashtag, a dance phenomenon associated with Mphela’s hit song, has amassed an impressive 9.5 million views to date, making it one of the fastest-growing trends on TikTok.

@kamomphelaxx #bheba #SAMA28 #kamomphela #trendingvideo #viralchallenge #trending #viral ♬ original sound – Kamogelo Mphela 🎭

Such is the influence of TikTok in music that Billboard has a designated chart that monitors how songs perform on the social media platform.

“A weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the US based on creations, video views and user engagement,” the chart is described on the Billboard website.

Tyla’s hit song Water grew in popularity through its presence on TikTok. The TikTok impact is boosted by Tyla posting videos of her dancing to Water and performing it on stage – prompting fans to want to try it themselves.

The hashtags #TylaWater and #TylaWaterChallenge have more than 448.6 million views combined, and the song has been used more than 1.2 million times in other people’s videos.

@lyricsphk tyla – water #fyp #tyla #tyla_water #tylawater #lyricsvideo #tipografia #tylawaterchallenge @Tyla ♬ som original – ♡

With Christmas getting closer, Mariah Carey’s 1994 classic All I Want For Christmas Is You is seeing a rise on the charts. It currently sits at number five.

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