Major League DJz make history with amapiano on global platforms

The twin brothers Banele and Bandile Mbere, who perform as Major League DJz, built on their 2023 Tomorrowland and DJ Mag milestones and now work much of the year in Ibiza. In 2026 they had their first Ibiza residency, Echoes of Tomorrow, which ran on Fridays at Chinois from 29 May to 9 October. They also put out a steady run of singles, among them “WASTED” with Naarly on July 31, 2026. Their autumn 2026 dates have taken them to North America, and a Johannesburg show at Huddle Park is listed for December 5.

Major League DJz are a South African twin-brother duo and two of the best-known faces of amapiano outside Africa. In the summer of 2023 they reached two milestones within a few days of each other.

Tomorrowland: the first amapiano act on the bill

In 2023 Major League DJz became the first amapiano act booked at Tomorrowland, one of the biggest and best-known dance music festivals in the world. That year’s festival ran over two weekends, from July 21 to 30, in Boom, Belgium, and drew tens of thousands of fans each day. The duo played on Saturday, July 29, from 17:00 to 19:00.

The booking opened a door for the genre. A year later, DBN Gogo was booked for the sold-out 2024 edition of Tomorrowland, which carried amapiano back to the same festival.

The DJ Mag cover

Shortly before the Tomorrowland set, the duo appeared on the cover of DJ Mag’s August 2023 issue. They were the first amapiano act on the cover of the British magazine and the third South African act after Black Coffee and DJ Lag. Earlier versions of this story said they were “the first act from Africa” on the cover. That was wrong, because Black Coffee and DJ Lag, both South African, had been cover stars before them.

The cover feature was titled “Major League DJz: amapiano’s global ambassadors”, with photography by Garry Jones. It came a year after another cover: Mixmag ran a cover feature and mix by the duo in August 2022.

“DJ Mag is the biggest DJ magazine, so it means a lot to be on the cover internationally,” Bandile Mbere said. “We will cherish this time.”

DJ Mag announced the cover on X:

🇿🇦 Amapiano’s global ambassadors 🇿🇦 @MAJORLEAGUEDJZ are DJ Mag’s August 2023 cover stars. 📸 Garry Jones. On stands, or available by subscription, now: https://t.co/EiVkH0otgF pic.twitter.com/KhcWI6SnkX
DJ Mag (@DJmag), July 27, 2023

What happened after 2023

After 2023 the duo kept moving between amapiano and the wider house world, and Ibiza became a regular base for them.

• 2024, DJ Awards nomination. Major League DJz were nominated in the Afro category of the DJ Awards in Ibiza. The other nominees included Black Coffee, Themba and Kelvin Momo. The category covers amapiano, Afrobeats and Afro house.
• August 2024, “Most Precious Love”. With LuuDadeejay, the duo released an amapiano version of the house classic “Most Precious Love”. The original was by Blaze with Barbara Tucker and reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart in 2005. It was the third single from the Amapiano to Ibiza EP, after Rosey Gold’s “The Dominator” and DBN Gogo’s “Touched the Sky”.
• 2025, DJ Awards shortlist. The duo made the DJ Awards shortlist in the Afro category again.
• 2026, Ibiza residency. Chinois Ibiza hosted Echoes of Tomorrow, their first Ibiza residency. It ran on Fridays from 29 May to 9 October 2026, mixing Afro house with the duo’s amapiano roots.
• 2026, new music and touring. Singles released in 2026 include “WASTED” with Naarly (July 31) and “One More Dance” with Mpho.wav and Atmos Blaq. Ticketing listings show a Boston date at The Grand on November 6, a Seattle show at The Shop on November 14 and a Johannesburg date at Huddle Park on December 5. Check the official ticket seller before you travel.

FAQ

Who are the members of Major League DJz?

Major League DJz are the twin brothers Banele and Bandile Mbere from South Africa. They are among the best-known amapiano DJs and producers outside Africa. DJ Mag called them “amapiano’s global ambassadors” on its August 2023 cover.

When did Major League DJz play Tomorrowland?

They played Tomorrowland in Boom, Belgium, on Saturday, July 29, 2023, from 17:00 to 19:00. That made them the first amapiano act on the festival’s bill. DBN Gogo followed at the 2024 edition.

Were Major League DJz the first African act on the cover of DJ Mag?

No. They were the first amapiano act on DJ Mag’s cover and the third South African act, after Black Coffee and DJ Lag. Their cover was the August 2023 issue.

Have Major League DJz won a DJ Award in Ibiza?

They were nominated in the DJ Awards Afro category in 2024 and made the Afro shortlist again in 2025. Reports from the time confirm the nominations. The official DJ Awards results are the place to check who won each year.

Do Major League DJz have an Ibiza residency?

Yes. In 2026 they had their first Ibiza residency, Echoes of Tomorrow, at Chinois. It ran on Fridays from 29 May to 9 October 2026.

What are Major League DJz releasing in 2026?

Their 2026 singles include “WASTED” with Naarly, released July 31, 2026, and “One More Dance” with Mpho.wav and Atmos Blaq. Further singles followed into the autumn, and their Apple Music page lists the newest ones.

Sources

• DJ Mag: Major League DJz, amapiano’s global ambassadors
• TimesLIVE: Mzansi music duo Major League DJz grace international DJ Mag cover
• The Citizen: Major League DJz first amapiano act to perform at Tomorrowland
• Mixmag: The Cover Mix, Major League DJz
• IOL: Major League DJz, Black Coffee and other Mzansi DJs score nominations at the 2024 DJ Awards
• Downtown Music Africa: Major League DJz land DJ Awards Ibiza nomination
• Music In Africa: Major League DJz revisit house anthem Most Precious Love
• Chinois Ibiza: Major League DJz, Echoes of Tomorrow
• Apple Music: Major League DJz