If singeli has a new era, DJ Travella is its brightest star. At just 23, the Tanzanian producer pushes the genre into uncharted territory—fast, frenetic and futuristic.
Like gabber, hardcore and jungle before it, singeli is unapologetically "go hard or go home." And whatever you do, don't call it niche. What could possibly connect pop provocateur Arca to the late president of Tanzania? Not much—except singeli. Arca opened her Caracas Boiler Room set with "Crazy Beat Music Umeme 1," tapping into the same breakneck energy John Magufuli once used to soundtrack his campaigns.
Singeli emerged from Dar es Salaam's underground in the early '00s, with help from studios like Sisso, it became the pulse of Tanzanian youth. Travella—real name Hamadi Hassani—began producing at ten, self-taught and internet-savvy. By 2022, he was touring with Nyege Nyege, gaining global attention for "cyber-singeli." His RA Podcast is a wild, joyful ride.
