How DJ’s are now getting the recognition they deserve
In the music world, DJs have a big say regarding what song will blow up next. They hoard so much power and can control the narrative via playing their sets to an audience. This act roots back to 1943, when one Radio Dj, Jimmy Savile, launched the world’s first Dj dance party. This tradition has extended into various elements of the music world, with EDM topping the craft due to how the genre itself is shaped.
Turning DJ’s into rockstars. Technology has refreshed Djing, and we have moved from Scratching vinyl on turntables to the use of modernized tools that have pushed the act into a new dimension, a much more diverse one.
To start with, accessories for DJing are costly. The DJ equipment market was valued at $410 million in 2017, expected to hit $620 million by 2025 at a CAGR of 6.6% during the forecast period.
Turntables, mixers, monitors all make up a state of the art DJ toolKIT, but these days, you do not necessarily need turning tables and a laptop to operate as a DJ. An app on your smart device is enough. One DJ who has benefited heavily from this is Starboy’s iPhone DJ, a Ghanaian DJ known for performing his sets via an app on his iPhone, allowing him to manoeuvre through the crowd, giving them an intimate experience.
Speaking to iMullar, he opened up on what directed him to this modernized path. “I honestly took this path out of curiosity, and I was really trying to achieve something where a piece of more intensive and alternative equipment would be output via the djay2 app (the App which he uses to perform on his phone).
Ideally, there are good DJ’s scattered all over the continent, but it takes a lot of exclusivities to stand out, you have to be doing what no one else does, and that is his advantage.
A Dj moving in the crowd with his iPhone and a go-pro camera mounted on his head, moving through the crowd and vibing with them is a very rare act. This exclusivity and branding caught the attention of Idris Elba, Wizkid and other top acts, making him one of the well-refined DJ’s.
In his own words, what has been a standout for him is a unique brand, “a bit of my music taste, wanting to learn from others, daring myself always to have a different theme for multiple shows got me the recognition”. He has been signed to Starboy Label and is also the brand ambassador for the Dj app he uses.
Another DJ, that has gained massive recognition is South Africa’s Uncle Waffles, dubbed as S.A’s favourite DJ. She earned a name for herself after a tweet went viral. She used the world’s most powerful internet tool, social media. A video that has racked over four million views on twitter entails the 21 year old in a club with a well entertained crowd, playing her signature song “Adiwele” by King Stunna, Kabza de Small & DJ Maphorisa, whiles showing off her bow & arrow signature dance.
With Amapiano still currently peaking as the number one genre from Africa, a mix of her signature dance moves and Amapiano set made it very easy for the video to go viral. The video penetrated all parts of the internet, enabling her to get a follow from Drake. Before that, she performed at multiple shows, including Afrochella, also touring parts of Africa. In a world where social media has so much power to bridge gaps, her strategy worked perfectly well, and it looks like she is just getting started.
Another channel DJs can use to gain recognition is tying yourself to a particular genre; now, this is common but has more details. In the heart of Accra’s nightlife, a bar named “Frontback” is well known for its Amapiano sessions. Like in South Africa, the night is orchestrated by Amapiano songs, creating a space for the gender’s fans, and at the wheel of such nights is a DJ.
The atmosphere at FrontBack is so inviting, especially during their “Amapiano & Brunch” events. Even if you’re not a fan of Amapiano, you are prone to turning into one. His playlist and mixes earned him the slot as the in-house Dj for the bar. People swoop in to have a good time with his mixes. Alongside the genre’s fast-rising ways, he was given a slot for Afrochella (One of Ghana’s biggest culture fests), performing his Amapiano set, and also an in-house Dj at YFM.
The art of DJing has hit a new high, and with the internet age levelling the playfield, there are now many diverse ways to be recognized as a DJ. It is easy now; structure yourself well, and you could be on the same path as the DJ’s mentioned in this article.
