Cover star interview: South African amapiano artist Khalil Harrison – Music In Africa |

South African artist Khalil Harrison, wearing a black cap and white shirt, speaks into a microphone in a recording studio, gesturing with their hands while discussing amapiano.

What motivates him

I just choose to do what I do, and I don’t look at someone else and pressurise myself, or [try] to compete with them. I choose to be me and do what my mind tells me to do. I started music because of a friend. Being around that friend every day just unlocked something that I didn’t know I had. As I stayed with him, and even when I left and heard he wasn’t doing well and was into drugs, it hurt me a lot. So I wanted to carry this no matter what. I just want to do this thing and make it happen, because I know that this…