With influences from different parts of the world, Afro-electronic music brings together African rhythms, electronic production and the spirit of dance music. From Afro-house and Afro Tech to 3-step and Gqom, the sound continues to reach new audiences around the world. In cities like Toronto, it has found a dedicated fanbase and a growing community of DJs, collectives, and music lovers helping shape its evolution.

As interest in the genre grows, so does the demand for the spaces and experiences that celebrate its sound and culture. With nightclub parties and major concerts, these gatherings create opportunities for people to discover new music, connect with one another and experience the sounds of the Afro electronic scene. 

A sign of the genre’s growing presence in Toronto is the continued momentum behind events that bring the sound to the city. Shows like Major League DJz’s upcoming show draw crowds of fans ready to dance and lose themselves in the music. Beyond the music itself, these events reflect a culture built around a sense of belonging. 

For Afrique Like Me (ALM), that sense of community is central to the work it does. The Toronto-based African Electronic Dance Music collective, made up of Martin Ses, Razaq El Toro, and Sonic Griot, is championing the sound through curated experiences, parties, partnerships, and a growing online community. They draw on the inclusive ethos associated with house music to create spaces where people from different backgrounds, including members of the African diaspora, can come together. As Martin Ses explains, the aim is to create an environment where people feel comfortable connecting with the music and one another. The group has a tagline: “everyone’s welcome, come as you are,” said Martin Ses. 

If you’ve never been in these spaces before and don’t know what to expect, Ses encourages you to approach the experience with a sense of receptiveness. “It’s a time for exploration,” he says. “You have to come with an open mind.” He describes these spaces as a community that values respect for everyone around, where you’re exposed to a new environment, new sensations, and new music. Much of that experience is driven by the variety of sounds within African electronic music and the ways DJs bring them together. 

Afro house, Afro Tech, 3-step and Gqom are sub-genres of African-electronic music, each with its own rhythmic identity. Curating a set that moves between them requires an understanding of how each sound can complement the next, while maintaining a connection with the crowd. For ALM, a DJ set is a journey. El Toro says the collective builds its sets around a range of feelings and emotions, finding the right moments for the sounds to work together, and reading the room is a key part of that process. There’s no fixed formula or one-size-fits-all rule. “Just because we’re playing a prime time set doesn’t mean we can’t throw in a jazzy three-step banger in between,” says El Toro. “Sometimes you just put it all together, and that’s what really creates the magic in the room,” he adds. “They all work very well together when you mix them up, and you find ways to play them all cohesively in a set.”

Toronto-based DJs Hangaelle and Minzi are also helping champion Afro-electronic music in the city. The two play alongside each other, bringing their individual perspectives to their sets. For Hangaelle, genre labels are not necessarily the starting point. “To me, it’s more about a feeling than a conscious jump from one thing to the next,” she says. “Music is music, and if it bangs, it bangs.” She adds that “all these sounds, while different, can be cohesive parts of the sonic storytelling and journey you take people on in a set when weaved together beautifully.” Minzi approaches her sets by moving fluidly between the sounds to tell the story and carry the crowd along. “Those subgenres have their own distinct sound when you study closely, but they all kind of work well under the same Afro-electronic brand kit,” she said. 

Several factors have contributed to the international growth of the genre, including internet culture and the nature of the sound. “African electronic music can be incredibly emotive and even spiritual in the way it makes you feel something beyond just wanting to dance – whether you understand the lyrics or not. It has a way of connecting with people on a level that goes beyond language,” Hangaelle said. That connection is especially important in a diverse city like Toronto. 

This Friday, October 30, South African twin brothers Major League DJz are taking over Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto, and Afrique Like Me, Minzi and Hangaelle are set to kick off the night before the duo gets on stage. ALM plans to play all the sub-genres of the sound, while feeling the energy of the crowd. According to Martin, their job is to get the crowd to exactly the right point and vibe they need to be on before the duo goes on stage. During Hangaelle and Minzi’s set, you can expect deep rhythms, infectious percussion and soulful moments that move you, plus “a fusion of Minzi and I’s sonic worlds, flowing through music we love,” Hangaelle said. “It’s going to be a lot of surprises, discoveries, as always, but, I always try to bring in the soulful melodies and soulful aspect of the music as well as the futuristic,” Minzi said. 

To warm up for the show, listen to music from artists shaping the sound, including Drumetic Boyz, JAZZWRLD, Thukuthela,  KEVIN LNDN, and Dlala Thukzin. Through the artists, DJs, communities and events, Afro-electronic music is set to continue expanding and growing its diverse international fanbase.

Get your tickets to see Major League DJz in Toronto