Mwaki
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"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 the Kikuyu language. "Mwaki" was released as a single on 10 November 2023 through the independent record label, Th3rd Brain. A month later, it went viral on the video-sharing service TikTok.
Background and composition
Zerb discovered Nzau through vocal tracks she uploaded online and used it for his production of "Mwaki".
"Mwaki" is a progressive house song written in the key of G minor with a tempo of 120 beats per minute. The title translates to "Fire" in Kikuyu language. 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, and to cover him. Just so she can be with him. Just so she can experience love."
Music video
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.
Track listings
- Digital download and streaming
- "Mwaki" – 3:28
- "Mwaki" (sped up) – 2:58
- "Mwaki" (slowed) – 4:09
- Digital download and streaming – Tiësto's VIP mix
- "Mwaki" (Tiësto's VIP mix) – 2:40
- "Mwaki" – 3:28
- Digital download and streaming – Major Lazer remix
- "Mwaki" (Major Lazer remix) – 3:15
- "Mwaki" (Tiësto's VIP mix) – 2:40
- "Mwaki" – 3:28
- Digital download and streaming – Refreshed
- "Mwaki" – 3:28
- "Mwaki" (Tiësto's VIP mix) – 2:40
- "Mwaki" (Major Lazer remix) – 3:15
- "Mwaki" (Chris Avantgarde and Kevin de Vries remix) – 4:11
- "Mwaki" (Tyler ICU remix) – 4:02
- "Mwaki" (Duke Dumont and Kiko Franco remix) – 2:33
- "Mwaki" (ATB Anthem remix) – 3:18
- "Mwaki" (Major League Djz remix) – 5:31
- "Mwaki" (&friends remix) – 3:54
- "Mwaki" (Timmy Trumpet remix) – 2:57
- "Mwaki" (Mia Moretti remix) – 3:33
- "Mwaki" (Franky Wah remix) – 3:37
- "Mwaki" (Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano remix) – 2:12
- "Mwaki" (KVSH and Dynamick remix) – 2:42
- "Mwaki" (Skytech remix) – 2:47
- "Mwaki" (Robin Tordjman remix) – 3:32
- "Mwaki" (Kordhell remix) – 1:45
- "Mwaki" (sped up) – 2:58
- "Mwaki" (slowed) – 4:09
Charts
| Chart (2023–2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Mwaki" Chart (2023–2024) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 46 Belarus Airplay (TopHit) 1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 8 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 6 Bulgaria Airplay (PROPHON) 3 Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard) 37 CIS Airplay (TopHit) 7 Croatia International Airplay (Top lista) 8 Estonia Airplay (TopHit) 24 France (SNEP) 50 Germany (GfK) 25 Global Excl. US (Billboard) 123 Greece International (IFPI) 10 Hungary (Dance Top 40) 6 Italy (FIMI) 69 Kazakhstan Airplay (TopHit) 9 Latvia Airplay (TopHit) 5 Latvia Airplay (TopHit) Tiësto's VIP Mix 88 Lithuania (AGATA) 97 Lithuania Airplay (TopHit) 17 Luxembourg (Billboard) 15 Moldova Airplay (TopHit) 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 13 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 19 Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100) 49 Portugal (AFP) 38 Romania (Billboard) 13 Romania Airplay (Media Forest) 2 Romania TV Airplay (Media Forest) 2 Russia Airplay (TopHit) 9 San Marino Airplay (SMRTV Top 50) 13 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 18 Turkey International Airplay (Radiomonitor Türkiye) 1 UK Singles Sales (OCC) 56 | Monthly charts Monthly chart performance for "Mwaki" Chart (2023–2024) Peak position Belarus Airplay (TopHit) 4 CIS Airplay (TopHit) 8 Estonia Airplay (TopHit) 37 Kazakhstan Airplay (TopHit) 17 Latvia Airplay (TopHit) 13 Latvia Airplay (TopHit) Tiësto's VIP Mix 91 Lithuania Airplay (TopHit) 22 Moldova Airplay (TopHit) 1 Romania Airplay (TopHit) 6 Russia Airplay (TopHit) 12 Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Mwaki" Chart (2024) Position Belarus Airplay (TopHit) 22 Belgium (Ultratop Flanders) 9 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 22 Bulgaria Airplay (PROPHON) 2 CIS Airplay (TopHit) 20 France (SNEP) 170 Germany (GfK) 45 Hungary (Dance Top 40) 15 Italy (FIMI) 100 Kazakhstan Airplay (TopHit) 26 Moldova Airplay (TopHit) 3 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 34 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 37 Portugal (AFP) 93 Romania Airplay (TopHit) 8 Russia Airplay (TopHit) 26 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 25 2025 year-end chart performance for "Mwaki" Chart (2025) Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 158 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 184 CIS Airplay (TopHit) 159 Hungary (Dance Top 40) 37 Moldova Airplay (TopHit) 5 Romania Airplay (TopHit) 96 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 46 |
| Belarus Airplay (TopHit) | 1 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) | 8 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) | 6 |
| Bulgaria Airplay (PROPHON) | 3 |
| Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard) | 37 |
| CIS Airplay (TopHit) | 7 |
| Croatia International Airplay (Top lista) | 8 |
| Estonia Airplay (TopHit) | 24 |
| France (SNEP) | 50 |
| Germany (GfK) | 25 |
| Global Excl. US (Billboard) | 123 |
| Greece International (IFPI) | 10 |
| Hungary (Dance Top 40) | 6 |
| Italy (FIMI) | 69 |
| Kazakhstan Airplay (TopHit) | 9 |
| Latvia Airplay (TopHit) | 5 |
| Latvia Airplay (TopHit) Tiësto's VIP Mix | 88 |
| Lithuania (AGATA) | 97 |
| Lithuania Airplay (TopHit) | 17 |
| Luxembourg (Billboard) | 15 |
| Moldova Airplay (TopHit) | 1 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 13 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 19 |
| Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100) | 49 |
| Portugal (AFP) | 38 |
| Romania (Billboard) | 13 |
| Romania Airplay (Media Forest) | 2 |
| Romania TV Airplay (Media Forest) | 2 |
| Russia Airplay (TopHit) | 9 |
| San Marino Airplay (SMRTV Top 50) | 13 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 18 |
| Turkey International Airplay (Radiomonitor Türkiye) | 1 |
| UK Singles Sales (OCC) | 56 |
| Chart (2023–2024) | Peak position |
| Belarus Airplay (TopHit) | 4 |
| CIS Airplay (TopHit) | 8 |
| Estonia Airplay (TopHit) | 37 |
| Kazakhstan Airplay (TopHit) | 17 |
| Latvia Airplay (TopHit) | 13 |
| Latvia Airplay (TopHit) Tiësto's VIP Mix | 91 |
| Lithuania Airplay (TopHit) | 22 |
| Moldova Airplay (TopHit) | 1 |
| Romania Airplay (TopHit) | 6 |
| Russia Airplay (TopHit) | 12 |
| Chart (2024) | Position |
| Belarus Airplay (TopHit) | 22 |
| Belgium (Ultratop Flanders) | 9 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) | 22 |
| Bulgaria Airplay (PROPHON) | 2 |
| CIS Airplay (TopHit) | 20 |
| France (SNEP) | 170 |
| Germany (GfK) | 45 |
| Hungary (Dance Top 40) | 15 |
| Italy (FIMI) | 100 |
| Kazakhstan Airplay (TopHit) | 26 |
| Moldova Airplay (TopHit) | 3 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 34 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 37 |
| Portugal (AFP) | 93 |
| Romania Airplay (TopHit) | 8 |
| Russia Airplay (TopHit) | 26 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 25 |
| Chart (2025) | Position |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) | 158 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) | 184 |
| CIS Airplay (TopHit) | 159 |
| Hungary (Dance Top 40) | 37 |
| Moldova Airplay (TopHit) | 5 |
| Romania Airplay (TopHit) | 96 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| France (SNEP) | Platinum | 200,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI) | Platinum | 100,000‡ |
| Streaming | ||
| Greece (IFPI Greece) | 2× Platinum | 4,000,000† |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. † Streaming-only figures based on certification alone. |