In honor of Black History Month, Atwood Magazine has invited artists to participate in a series of essays reflecting on identity, music, culture, inclusion, and more.
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Today, French-Congolese female producer/DJ KARABA highlights the sound of Afro House through a curated playlist featuring Kitty Amor, Drumetic Boyz, and more for Atwood Magazine’s Black History Month series!
French-born and Canada-raised, KARABA is redefining the sound of the underground. Formerly a professional dancer who toured with Drake, Camilla Cabello, Selena Gomez, and Chris Brown, KARABA’s approach is influenced by her unique understanding of movement and culture. Looking for a career shift, she seamlessly translated her lust for rhythm and dance to the decks, and amassed a cult following in the process.
KARABA’s music flaunts the authentic sound and spirit of Afro House while incorporating the global inspirations that have followed KARABA throughout her many relocations. Having earned her first Juno Award nomination in 2024 for ‘Underground Dance Single of the Year’ with her breakout hit ‘Mad Mess’, KARABA is on the precipice of altering the Afro House landscape.
She is currently in the midst of a global tour, captivating audiences with her pulsating beats and magnetic stage presence. Along the way, she has opened for powerhouse acts like Aluna, Sara Landry, Coco & Breezy, and Rampa, further cementing her reputation as a rising star in electronic music.
Her latest single, “Dark Waters,” is out February 28th. “Dark Waters” is a rhythmic awakening of KARABA’s signature Afro House and dark electronic aspirations. Over its three and a half minutes, ethereal synths and harmonized vocal chants wrap around industrial basslines and gritty percussion. Instantly entrancing and deeply hypnotic, “Dark Waters” envelopes its listeners with arousing sound design that ebbs and flows like its aquatic inspirations. “Dark Waters” also arrives with an official music video that showcases KARABA’s breathtaking artistry as a contemporary dancer and the fluidity of her music that lends itself to movement.
“This song is one of my favorites,” KARABA shares. “I love the whole vibe, especially how the kick hits so heavy — it’s like a metaphor for this new era I’m stepping into, where I’m taking up space and marching forward with intention. I finally get to dive deep into electronic sound — how it speaks to me, how I interpret it. This song is kinda my love letter to Afro House and what it feels to me musically.”
Stream “Dark Waters” wherever you listen to music, and dive into KARABA’s Black History Month playlist below!
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THE SOUND OF AFRO HOUSE
by KARABA
Unique Paballo
Unique Paballo is a producer from Tembisa, South Africa. I came across his music this year, and I’ve been hooked ever since. His sound is intense and dynamic, and I use a lot of his tracks in my sets, layering acapellas to push the energy even further—it always hits. There’s something about his sound that keeps pulling me back. My favorite track of his is “Amazon.”
Drumetic Boyz
These guys are on another level when it comes to production. Every track they create is intricate and tells a full story—without needing any words. Their music pulls the audience into their world, and I admire that so much. They’ve been a huge inspiration for my own music as well. Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, their sound is truly something special. My favorite track of theirs is “Flow.”
Tabia
She has such a unique and ethereal voice that fits perfectly with Afro house and Afro tech. Whenever I hear her on a track, I instantly add it to my playlist. One track I especially love her vocals on is “Camagu.” Every time I play it in my set, I feel like I’m transported somewhere, and I take the audience along on that journey.
Kitty Amor
I discovered Kitty Amor during Pride Montreal in 2024, and her set blew me away. I have so much respect for fellow women DJs making their mark in the Afro house scene, and Kitty is definitely one of them. Her tracks are so well made — you can tell she really cares about the music and where it comes from. I respect that a lot.
DJ Satelite
DJ Satelite is a DJ and producer from Angola, and I’m a HUGE fan of the music coming out of there. The sound is so powerful, and the grooves in those tracks are always next level—you just have to dance. One track of his, “U&M,” was a go-to for me this summer during my sunset DJ sets. It’s such a beautiful song with amazing vocals.
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:: stream “Dark Waters” here ::
:: connect with KARABA here ::
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