#BizTrends2022: SA artists poised to dominate while TikTok still reigns supreme

Tecla Ciolfi, founder of Texx and the City.

However, with curfew a recent thing of the past, we’re looking at 2022 with eager eyes and, when we factor in the comeback of events with a few of my trend forecasts below, it’s set to be a much brighter year for the entertainment industry than we’ve had in a long while.

The South African takeover

This has been a longtime coming but South Africans are no longer looking to overseas countries for inspiration, instead, looking inwards to rediscover what has always made our music so uniquely special. And they’ve thrived because of it.

The emergence and subsequent dominance of Amapiano, with lauded producers DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small at the helm, has seen the rest of the world now looking to us for inspiration and early adoption. Black Coffee and Wouter Kellerman’s nominations at this year’s Grammy Awards are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how South African musicians are set to dominate on a global scale in 2022.

TikTok’s still at it

I honestly feel like a stuck record every year when it comes to TikTok, but for good reason. Last year, the social media app registered 1 billion active users, with its growth and reach only set to grow in 2022.

When it comes to the music industry, TikTok now plays a major role in how we discover new music, which ultimately leads to the breaking of new artists, a function that streaming services have done until this point, and radio before that. And while streaming remains a primary way of shipping new artists, TikTok seems to be having more and more of a hand in breaking careers, literally overnight.

Getting in sync

Sync licensing is the use of an artist’s music in TV, film, series, trailers, video games - I think you’re getting the picture here - and it’s something that featured distinctively on my radar in 2021 and my spidey senses tell me it’s only going to become more prominent with SA artists in 2022.

Syncing is also a great way for independent musicians to make good money off their music while also driving awareness, most likely through Shazam, and growing their profiles in the process.

Reels reign supreme

If you’re not already on the reel train, you better find a way to get on it, and fast. TikTok aside, Instagram continues to prioritise shortform videos above all other formats with their launch of Remix in 2021.

Remix is a new feature on Instagram Reels that enables users to mix in other users’ Reels into their original posts, a great way to elevate engagement across the board. The Kiffness was someone who utilised Remix expertly to create multiple viral Reels, with even Deadpool getting involved in the vibes.