Music!

This page is dedicated to all things music, related to kizomba. There is definitely an art to active listening in order to dance BETTER.
Click here if you want Musicality Tips

Many take it for granted how important it is to listen to the music in order to express it!

Here are some of the most popular songs from the past few years and take not of the artist names to explore their latest releases. Bear in mind many djs remake existing music and also create their own beats, making them un-commercial.

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For our kizomba classes click here!

Kizomba music: Kizomba comes from zouk music, from Guadeloupe and Martinique (and zouk has Kompa roots). Eduardo Paim is known to be the key musician to define kizomba. He has written that zouk influences before Kassav were already happening since 1979. The dance became a slowed down or romantic version of the already existing, up-tempo semba that has been in existence since the 1800’s (!). Brief summary 🙂
Kizomba music now has many ‘sounds’. Each era has its sound, just like house, hip hop or salsa.  Kizomba has been interpreted by the other Lusophone countries especially Cabo Verde. And due to the long civil war in Angola in the 90’s, Angolan kizomba music slowed down dramatically in terms of creation and production.
Tarraxinha music and dance are also part of Angolan culture and intertwined with kizomba. It’s a mix between ballads and kuduro but now has many tempos. It’s interesting to note that the young generation in Luanda and Angolans in Lisbon are producing very avant-garde and progressive sub-genres, mixing tarraxinha with zouk bass, trap, moombahton, and dancehall. Unfortunately kizomba is not well documented, and there is much resistance to defining all the sub-genres.

Kizomba rhythm: It generally has a slower drawn out BOOM ba ba rhythm (1—3 4, 5—- 7, 8) and downbeat feel,  whereas semba feels more like a regular  Boom Boom in the bass, BA ba ba Ba ba ba in the trap and a syncopated guitar, piano or drum and is generally faster in tempo, usually like a horse gallop, with an upbeat feel.  The great news is semba basics are learned first, and mixed in with kizomba like a big cake, and as long as the semba is not crazy fast, one can dance the same way without knowing the difference. Just feel the joy!

Kizomba is also remixed with many RnB songs (called kizomba remixes). Many djs or amateur music lovers use softwares to ‘kizombify’ any pop, classical, rock, alternative, chill, electronic genres and play it for niche markets all over the world. It’s more an underground movement, coming out of clubs, school dance socials, festivals and dj sites like soundcloud.
Read about history here

You’ll hear dance terms associated with kizomba, like tarraxa, semba, passada, coladeira and kuduro, afro-house, fusion kizomba or urban kizomba, urban tarraxa, urban tarraxo.
You’ll hear music terms associated with kizomba music, like ghetto zouk, cabo-love, coladeira, quadradinha, tarraxhina and the more modern tarraxo, zouk bass, RnB remix, instrumental.

Kizomba Artists (there are many remixes by DJs and beatmakers that are amazing too).

* means they are my personal favourites. FYI, I am biased: I don’t like slower traditional zouk, depending on the melodies, and don’t play them at our socials, and am not big on romantic-sounding songs unless they are very intense. I like funk, rhythm, and minor keys. I like bite, spice and contrast!

 

To get started: For Beginner Kizomba Ears

Classic Kizomba:

Ghetto Zouk Artist names: 

*Looney Johnson
*Mika Mendes
Chelsy Shantel
Chachi
*2Much
Atim
*Ricky Boy
*Neuza
Perola
*Vanda May
Marcia
C4 Pedro
Big Nelo
Elizio
Nichols
*Djodje
Kaysha
*Anselmo Ralph
*Nuxito
Denis Graca
Ravidson
Jennifer Dias
Charbel

Stephanie’s TOP 10 Favourites: May 2015
Go find them yourself! You’ll discover more music that way!

1. Dj Taylor and Babylonia – Me Deixas Maluco
2. Raphael Vaaz – Oh na na Remix
3. Canuco Zumby – I’m a Boss
4. Tania Macauw – Vais me Bondar
5. Billy Family – Bem conchem
6. Yola Araujo – 6 da manha
7. Rei Helder & Lil Saint – Hoje eu Vou
8. Jivago – Avo Tete (semba)
9. Artist unkown – Scream – Remix.
10. Meganifico- So Swag
11. Os Skinny’s – Atrevido (As if I can stop at 10)

Playlists:
Look for GoDanz Playlists! Examples:

https://soundcloud.com/stephanie-gurnon/sets/godanz-kiz-winter-2018

To get a wholistic view of great kizomba music, listen to my Parisian friend Ge’s very long playlist 🙂 It has 213 tracks. Holy moly. That should get you started!

Hardenn (Paris dancer)

This is a great RnB remix kizomba by our resident DJ Bowie!

Also on mixedcloud.com under _Bowie_

Check out our FB page called KIZOMBA MUSIC AND VIDEOS! for regular postings!