"Jerusalema" is a song by South African DJ and record producerMaster KG featuring South African vocalist Nomcebo Zikode. The upbeat gospel-influenced house song was initially released on 29 November 2019 after it garnered positive response online, with a music video following on 21 December. It was later included on Master KG's second album of the same title, released in January 2020. It was eventually released on streaming services on 10 July 2020, after it went viral during mid-2020, garnering international reaction due to the #JerusalemaChallenge. A remix featuring Nigerian singer Burna Boy was released on 19 June 2020, propelling the song onto the US Billboard charts.
Background
The song was recorded on 11 August 2019, and after being posted on social media, it received positive responses from fans. Master KG said he called "his sister Nomcebo to come so we can we finish the song". The finished version was then uploaded to YouTube in October and officially released on 29 November. It surpassed one million views in its first week. The official music video was released on 21 December 2019. After it went viral, the song was released to streaming services on 10 July by Elektra France and Warner France. Upon its release, some deemed it a "tavern" song. Master KG stated: "Some call it tavern music, and I said, 'It's okay, wait and let me show what tavern music can do to the world". During late 2018, it had become a favourite in South African clubs. Prior to the COVID-19 lockdown, Master KG had travelled to Portugal to promote his album, and said he put more emphasis on the songs dance during his shows.
Composition
Although it has "religious-leaning" lyrics, "Jerusalema" is an upbeat disco-house track containing "deep", "spiritual", gospel lyrics. Lyrically, as noted by OkayAfrica's Rufaro Samanga, "it speaks about Jerusalem being the home of many religious believers". The remix sees Burna Boy incorporating his signature Afrobeats style, singing part of his verse in isiZulu, while emphasizing the unity of African artists.
Critical reception
Zkhiphanis Mandisa Ntsindee opined that the song "has reached heights no other South African song has ever in the past", calling Nomcebo a "powerhouse vocalist" and said "the South African music scene has been preparing for this exact kind of exposure with a song that is fiercely ours". Music in Africa named it "without doubt" one of the biggest South African house songs of 2020, with the magazine's Ano Shumba stating "Nomcebo has cemented her presence on the localhouse music scene". Rufaro Samanga of OkayAfrica called the remix "a straight banger".
Impact
Master KG's Spotify followers increased to over 1.2 million following the rising popularity of the song. Various covers performed around the world with different instruments and sang in a variety languages have also been uploaded on YouTube, attracting their own popularity.
Dance challenge
An accompanying dance challenge, attributed to a group of Angolan friends performing the choreography in a candid video, helped the song go viral online. The #JerusalemaChallenge, which has been compared to the Macarena, spawned dance videos from many countries, including Italy, Spain, France, Jamaica and Canada.
Music video
The song's official music video was released onto YouTube on 21 December 2019. On 25 July, the video surpassed 50 million views, a rare feat for South African artists.
