With the festive season already upon us, it is the ripening season of party anthems and club bangers as per South African culture in these times of musical harvest. Johannesburg Gqom duo The Incredibles, already headstrong in their mission to put the sound that originated in Durban back on the map countrywide, are one of the newer and promising acts on the scene that have their hands on the decks, intent on nothing but making the crowds sweat and parrot the lyrics of their songs.
Bidding for a spot in the hearts of the masses, the pair released “Shibilika”, a dynamic speaker-shredding song that features 031’s legendary producer and music executive DJ Tira as well as BlaQ Kiidd.
“When it comes to the song ‘Shibilika’, we definitely were looking for something with a December vibe to it and we felt like this one had that fire about it. So when we constructed the song, even though we felt it right from the beginning that this song was it, it still needed that one person who would add that special sauce to it. That’s how we ended up putting on Tira as well,” Adam said of their latest single.
Listen to “Shibilika”:
For the upcoming new year, the duo shared some of their next moves, which include collabos as well as strengthening their brand by branching out.
“With the single already out, we aren’t planning much for the rest of the year on top of what we’ve already done because most of our plans are going to be executed in 2026. We are planning to release an EP next year, but we know for sure that we are going to be dropping a few singles before then. Just to let our fans in on what to expect, we have collaborations coming up with the likes of TNS, CowBoii, and Anele Zondo, among others. Another thing we wanted to do is explore other avenues such as putting together our own events, live mixes and merchandise and so on,” Adam said.
Known for its high-energy and forceful production, Gqom was once a staple nationwide in the clubs and party circuits after passing critical mass in the coastal regions of Eastern KwaZulu-Natal. However, the duo shared that sprightly and vigorous as the production normally is, they found that it is a slow-burning body-shaker.
“I feel like when comes to Gqom and sparking interest in it again, the greatest challenge has been to get it out and getting people to enjoy it. For example, there’ll be this crazy experience where we go out to perform at another country and the crowd will vibe okay to the first or the second song. By the time the next one comes on, they’re up on their feet and by the end of the set, everyone’s jamming to the music. So I’ve definitely noticed that with this sound, it tends to take time so one has to be patient,” said Adam.
The Incredibles | SUPPLIED
The Jozi gents shared an important lesson that has helped them stay on track, with a few words of wisdom from DJ Tira himself.
“Consistency more than anything is important—putting in the hours and the time. Makoya said it best to us that out of a hundred songs recorded in studio and a hundred hours spent recording, probably three of those songs are gonna be hits. So the more consistent you are, the more time you put in, the better your chances of landing better music,” Tyson said.
The Incredibles spoke about the legacy they wanted to leave behind and exporting the refurbished name of Gqom to uncharted lands.
“As The Incredibles, we’d love to be remembered as a duo that not only pioneered a new way for the sound to be made but also for the rebrand of Gqom, while taking it to a whole new level. And by that we mean that we want to take it other territories we never thought we could enter. So we are definitely aiming to make it to the Gqom books of history when it’s all said and done,” Tyson said.
