"Mwaki" | ||||
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Single by Zerb featuring Sofiya Nzau | ||||
from the EP Surrender | ||||
Language | Kikuyu | |||
English title | "Fire" | |||
Released | 10 November 2023 | |||
Genre | Progressive house [1] | |||
Length | 3:28 | |||
Label | Th3rd Brain | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | Zerb | |||
Zerb singles chronology | ||||
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Sofiya Nzau singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Mwaki" on YouTube |
"Mwaki" is a song by Brazilian DJ and producer Zerb from his third extended play (EP), Surrender (2023). It features Kenyan singer Sofiya Nzau who performs the song in Kikuyu, a language spoken by the Bantu ethnic group native to Central Kenya. [1] "Mwaki" was released as a single on 10 November 2023 through the independent record label, Th3rd Brain. [2] A month later, it went viral on the video-sharing service TikTok. [3]
Zerb discovered Nzau through vocal tracks she uploaded online and used it for his production of "Mwaki". [1]
"Mwaki" is an progressive house song written in the key of G minor with a tempo of 120 beats per minute. [1] [4] The title translates to "Fire" in Kikuyu language. [1] Nzau explained that the song is about "a woman who is in love with a man her parents are not in approval of, but she's willing to fight for him, she's willing to cover him. Just so she can be with him. Just so she can experience love." [5]
The music video was directed by Indian director Mikhail Mehran and filmed at Hell's Gate National Park in Kenya. Zerb and Nzau appear in the video with a bevy of Kenyan dancers. The video was released on 29 January 2024. [1]
Chart (2024) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40) [6] | 50 |
Belarus Airplay ( TopHit) [7] | 1 |
Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders) [8] | 8 |
Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [9] | 6 |
Bulgaria ( PROPHON) [10] | 3 |
Estonia Airplay ( TopHit) [11] | 24 |
France ( SNEP) [12] | 50 |
Germany ( Official German Charts) [13] | 25 |
Global Excl. US ( Billboard) [14] | 123 |
Greece International ( IFPI) [15] | 10 |
Hungary ( Dance Top 40) [16] | 7 |
Italy ( FIMI) [17] | 69 |
Kazakhstan Airplay ( TopHit) [18] | 12 |
Lithuania ( AGATA) [19] | 97 |
Luxembourg ( Billboard) [20] | 15 |
Moldova Airplay ( TopHit) [21] | 21 |
Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40) [22] | 13 |
Netherlands ( Single Top 100) [23] | 28 |
Poland ( Polish Airplay Top 100) [24] | 49 |
Portugal ( AFP) [25] | 60 |
Romania ( Billboard) [26] | 13 |
Russia Airplay ( TopHit) [27] | 9 |
Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade) [28] | 18 |
UK Singles Sales ( OCC) [29] | 56 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Italy ( FIMI) [30] | Gold | 50,000‡ |
Streaming | ||
Greece ( IFPI Greece) [31] | Gold | 1,000,000† |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
"Mwaki" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Single by Zerb featuring Sofiya Nzau | ||||
from the EP Surrender | ||||
Language | Kikuyu | |||
English title | "Fire" | |||
Released | 10 November 2023 | |||
Genre | Progressive house [1] | |||
Length | 3:28 | |||
Label | Th3rd Brain | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | Zerb | |||
Zerb singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Sofiya Nzau singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Mwaki" on YouTube |
"Mwaki" is a song by Brazilian DJ and producer Zerb from his third extended play (EP), Surrender (2023). It features Kenyan singer Sofiya Nzau who performs the song in Kikuyu, a language spoken by the Bantu ethnic group native to Central Kenya. [1] "Mwaki" was released as a single on 10 November 2023 through the independent record label, Th3rd Brain. [2] A month later, it went viral on the video-sharing service TikTok. [3]
Zerb discovered Nzau through vocal tracks she uploaded online and used it for his production of "Mwaki". [1]
"Mwaki" is an progressive house song written in the key of G minor with a tempo of 120 beats per minute. [1] [4] The title translates to "Fire" in Kikuyu language. [1] Nzau explained that the song is about "a woman who is in love with a man her parents are not in approval of, but she's willing to fight for him, she's willing to cover him. Just so she can be with him. Just so she can experience love." [5]
The music video was directed by Indian director Mikhail Mehran and filmed at Hell's Gate National Park in Kenya. Zerb and Nzau appear in the video with a bevy of Kenyan dancers. The video was released on 29 January 2024. [1]
Chart (2024) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40) [6] | 50 |
Belarus Airplay ( TopHit) [7] | 1 |
Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders) [8] | 8 |
Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [9] | 6 |
Bulgaria ( PROPHON) [10] | 3 |
Estonia Airplay ( TopHit) [11] | 24 |
France ( SNEP) [12] | 50 |
Germany ( Official German Charts) [13] | 25 |
Global Excl. US ( Billboard) [14] | 123 |
Greece International ( IFPI) [15] | 10 |
Hungary ( Dance Top 40) [16] | 7 |
Italy ( FIMI) [17] | 69 |
Kazakhstan Airplay ( TopHit) [18] | 12 |
Lithuania ( AGATA) [19] | 97 |
Luxembourg ( Billboard) [20] | 15 |
Moldova Airplay ( TopHit) [21] | 21 |
Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40) [22] | 13 |
Netherlands ( Single Top 100) [23] | 28 |
Poland ( Polish Airplay Top 100) [24] | 49 |
Portugal ( AFP) [25] | 60 |
Romania ( Billboard) [26] | 13 |
Russia Airplay ( TopHit) [27] | 9 |
Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade) [28] | 18 |
UK Singles Sales ( OCC) [29] | 56 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Italy ( FIMI) [30] | Gold | 50,000‡ |
Streaming | ||
Greece ( IFPI Greece) [31] | Gold | 1,000,000† |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |