Watch Zerb and Sofiya Nzau’s viral hit Mwaki

The video to the track, which went viral after its release in November, was shot in Hell’s Gate National Park in Nakuru County, Kenya.

According to Billboard, the track, which has taken the world by storm, hit No 1 on Spotify’s Global Viral Chart, with more than 100 000 videos created by fans on social media, and is currently at No 3 on the global Shazam chart.

The song, whose title translates to fire in Kenya’s Kikuyu language, has also received remakes from dance music royalty like Major Lazer and Tiësto. It has also been remixed by Franky Wah, Major League DJz and Tyler ICU, among others.

“I knew ‘Mwaki’ was special, but I didn’t expect the success and love that the song has had,” Zerb said in a statement. “I’m very happy not only with the result, but also with the opportunity to spread my music to the world.”

The video was directed by Mikhail Mehra – best known for his work on Major Lazer’s ‘Lean On’ video. It stars Zerb, Nzau and a group of Kenyan dancers.

“Everybody on the team is just making miracles happen,” Mehra said in a statement. “Hopefully, we will make Kenya proud, because it was a tremendous experience.” “During our shoot, we faced unexpected challenges, like hippos breaking through the location. Our Masai tribe liaison, Sammy, guided us to safety by showing us a rope to climb out of the gorge. These were extraordinary moments that I never anticipated. Despite the difficulties, our dedicated team came together and accomplished the impossible. I believe we have done justice to Kenya, and this experience will always hold a special place in my heart.”

The track was released by independent label TH3RD BRAIN, whose global campaign behind the track successfully broke the song in myriad countries.

“Music doesn’t have borders today. It’s inspiring that an artist in Kenya can upload her vocals to the internet, be found by a Brazilian DJ, and turned into one of the biggest dance records of the year,” TH3RD Brain’s Alec Udell told Billboard. “As an independent label, our partner network is set up to tell stories like this across the globe. Zerb and his manager Gabriel have been at this game for over 10 years so what’s next for them is what’s really exciting to us.”

The video release follows the announcement that the São Paulo-born producer has signed with UTA for live representation in all territories excluding Brazil.