VIDEO: Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa – Abalele ft. Ami Faku
The music video for “Abalele” by Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa, featuring Ami Faku, is a soulful, emotionally charged visual masterpiece that blends intimacy, nostalgia, and the haunting beauty of love lost and longed for. The title “Abalele” — which translates to “They have left me” — perfectly mirrors the emotional core of the song: a meditation on absence, heartbreak, and the lingering presence of someone who is no longer there.
Dark Horse, Kabza De Small and Artwork Sounds recently appeared on Love, Peace & Happiness.
From the opening moments, the video immerses viewers in a melancholic yet warm aesthetic. Soft, muted lighting and subtle golden tones evoke a sense of memory and introspection. The visuals feel cinematic, with careful attention to framing and composition. The setting alternates between intimate indoor spaces — bedrooms, living areas, and dimly lit corners — and evocative outdoor scenes bathed in early morning or late afternoon light, symbolizing reflection and passage of time.
Ami Faku is the undeniable emotional centerpiece. Her performance is both tender and raw, her expressive facial expressions and gestures capturing heartbreak, longing, and resilience. She is often framed in close-ups, allowing her voice and emotional presence to dominate the visual space. The direction emphasizes her vulnerability: a hand brushing across a windowpane, a glance toward the floor, or a slow walk through an empty room — moments that visually translate the song’s themes of absence and yearning.
Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa, while not the primary on-screen performers, are subtly woven into the narrative through studio or ambient performance shots. Their presence grounds the track, visually linking the emotional storytelling to the music’s production. Scenes of them at the decks, mixing, or immersed in instruments underscore the music as a conduit of emotion, reinforcing that the song’s rhythm and melody are inseparable from its narrative of heartbreak.
The cinematography plays a pivotal role in conveying mood. Soft focus, shallow depth of field, and natural lighting create a sense of intimacy. The director frequently employs slow pans, lingering shots, and reflective surfaces — mirrors, windows, and water — to symbolize introspection, duality, and emotional depth. Shadows and contrast are used sparingly but effectively, emphasizing solitude, isolation, and the quiet weight of longing.
