Latest news with #DJDoowap
Mail & Guardian
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mail & Guardian
DJ Doowap is lighting up global dance floors with bacardi music
Putting an SA spin on it: DJ Doowap, who is on tour in Europe, has spent a decade taking her distinctive bacardi sound, with its loops, raw percussion and unpredictable tempo changes, to the world. I remember the first time I saw Khetsiwe Morgan, known to the world as DJ Doowap, spin her magic. It was at one of Lady Skollie's art exhibitions, the kind of event where suits and silk dresses hold tightly to their wine glasses and social postures. But when Doowap touched the decks, something shifted. She summoned energy. The tight, reserved crowd softened, hips loosened, and next thing you knew, a full-blown groove had erupted in the gallery. I was struck, not only by her technical skill and musical range but by her joy. She was smiling the whole time, completely immersed in her own world, pulling everyone in with her. Little did I know that I was arriving late to the party. DJ Doowap had already spent nearly a decade touring the world, captivating audiences from Johannesburg to New York. Her unique blend of sound, deeply rooted in the township-born bacardi genre, has put her at the forefront of a sonic revolution. In 2023, she was recognised as one of the Mail & Guardian's Top 200 Young South Africans in the Arts and Entertainment category, a recognition that felt both celebratory and overdue. Right now, Doowap is on a European tour, taking the vibrational pulse of Pretoria, specifically the infectious energy of bacardi music, and sharing it with crowds in Paris and across Germany. She's not simply performing; she's exporting culture, delivering the sound of the streets to international stages where the beat of Mzansi is becoming the rhythm of the world. Her latest single Seroba Ke Seh is a love letter to bacardi's origins. The title itself, lifted from Pretoria slang, signals a commitment to authenticity, even as she travels the globe. Doowap worked with bacardi veterans Enny Man Da Guitar and rising star from Hammanskraal to capture that unmistakable township pulse. 'It was important to me that we honour the roots,' she says. 'I'm not trying to westernise bacardi or clean it up for international ears. I want them to feel the real thing — our thing.' Bacardi, for those who know, is unfiltered. Its hypnotic loops, raw percussion and unpredictable tempo changes speak a language all their own. It's dance music that feels lived-in. 'I've always been obsessed with bacardi,' she says. 'Even when other genres were getting the spotlight, it was bacardi that made my heart beat faster. It's got that raw energy. You hear it and you have to move.' Her sets aren't just built for clubs; they're crafted for movement, expression and release. And that energy translates globally. At Berlin's Freak de L'Afrique street festival, Doowap played to a staggering 700 000 people. Let that number sink in — 700 000 bodies moving to Pretoria's street sound. 'It was the biggest crowd I've ever played for,' she recalls. 'And the moment I dropped the first track, I felt it, they got it. There's something so powerful about knowing that a sound from your hometown can make that kind of impact across the world.' Doowap is more than a DJ. She's a full-blown cultural architect. Her music, fashion and visual world are interconnected, constantly in conversation with each other. Whether it's an Adidas campaign or a Maybelline shoot, her look is always bold, always intentional. 'Fashion is my favourite form of self-expression,' she says. 'Everything I wear says what the music is already saying. It's unapologetic. It's future-facing. It's a little wild, but so am I.' For her, every outfit is a visual beat, every make-up look a chord. It's never just about looking good, it's about telling a story. 'When I partner with brands, I make sure they get the vision,' she insists. 'I need to know they're open to imagination, that they're not trying to box me in. Because that's the core of what I do — I don't fit in. I remix everything.' This fearless approach extends to her touring experience. She's discovered just how tapped in to South African culture global audiences are. 'The most surprising thing has been watching people in Paris or Berlin pulling bacardi moves on the dance floor like they've been doing them for years,' she says. 'It's wild. It shows just how powerful social media and cultural exchange have become.' She's not just bringing the music, she's bringing a full cultural moment. And she wears the title Bacardi Babe proudly. 'At first, I thought people were just saying it to be cute,' she says. 'But now, I wear it like a badge. Because this isn't just about me, it's about all of us who've been pushing this sound, carrying this culture, evolving it.' As someone who straddles multiple creative industries, I asked whether she sees music, fashion and beauty as separate expressions. Her response is immediate: 'It's all one continuous art form. It's the same energy, just different languages. I'm not choosing between them. I'm dancing through all of them.' And what does she hope her legacy will be, particularly as bacardi culture gains momentum abroad? 'I want young people, especially young women, to see me and think, 'I can do it my way too.' I want to show that you don't have to compromise to succeed. That your originality is your superpower. That there's space for all of us.' She then adds: 'And I want to open doors. Real ones. If what I'm doing sparks even the tiniest fire in someone back home, then that's my purpose.' Doowap's performances are joyful but they are also political. They're about permission, giving the audience permission to feel, to move, to release. 'Joy is resistance,' she says. 'When I perform, I want everyone to forget whatever's weighing them down. I want them to remember what it feels like to be free. 'That moment when we're all dancing together, that's church to me.' Looking forward, her plans are as layered and electric as she is. More music is on the way, including a short project expanding her bacardi-meets-pantsula sonic world. She's also dreaming of a fully immersive tour with pantsula dancers, lighting, fashion — the whole South African experience. 'I want to take that full energy to Asia, South America, North America,' she says. 'I want people everywhere to feel the electricity between bacardi and pantsula — it's next level.' And, true to form, she's also building something offstage. 'I'm working on launching my fashion brand,' she teases. 'It's going to be very me — bold, textured, street, but with that edge. I can't wait to share my mpahlas [clothes] with the world.' DJ Doowap isn't just spinning decks, she's spinning culture into a new orbit. From the corners of Pretoria to the stages of Europe, she is redefining what it means to be a South African creative in the 21st century. With every beat, every stitch, every performance, she's proving that local isn't just global, it's essential. And, as the world continues to tune in to the sound of the South, it's Doowap who is pressing play.
News24
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Barcadi waves run high in new tracks by DJ Doowap and Officixl RSA
This week is a good one for the barcadi streets. Not only is DJ Doowap dropping a Barcadi-infused single titled Seroba Ke Seh but Officixl RSA finally drops a much anticipated eight-track EP. The latter is titled An Elementary Episode II and it boldly mixes the smooth grooves of Amapiano with the punchy rhythms of Bacardi. This new release marks a major step forward in Officixl RSA's musical evolution, bringing fans a sound that's both familiar and daringly different. As for Khetsiwe Morgan, fondly known as DJ Doowap, the big release follows the massive success of Shay'sthombe, a track that solidified Doowap's growing legacy as South Africa's 'Bacardi Babe'. Read more | 'I've found my purpose through dance' – Hope Ramafalo jetsets to international stages Produced by legendary barcadi pioneer Enny Man Da Guitar and featuring Pretoria lyricist Seroba Ke Seh is an explosive celebration of Bacardi's roots grounded in Pitori energy yet designed for a global dancefloor. 'With this new release, I'm continuing to solidify my place as South Africa's 'Bacardi Babe,' championing a sound that's energetic, infectious, and undeniably made for the dance floor. Working with a legend like Enny Man Da Guitar was a dream come true, this song is a tribute to where Bacardi comes from and a bold step toward where it's going,' says Dj Doowap Seroba Ke She is a phrase rooted in Pretoria slang meaning Here is this banger. whose lyrical fire brings the track to life said, 'From the moment you hear those electrifying Bacardi sonics and lyrics, you want to dance. It's a happy song. It's about real fun, not the filtered, posed kind but dancing like no one's watching. We made this for the world, but it started in Pitori'. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Doowap 🇸🇿🇿🇦🇬🇧 (@djdoowap) DJ Doowap is currently on her European tour, taking the Bacardi sound to international audiences. She has already lit up stages in Paris and Berlin and is gearing up for an electrifying performance at the upcoming Paris Fashion Week bringing South African street culture and sound to one of the world's biggest style stages. 'Right now, the world is watching Africa for inspiration in music, fashion and is the next wave, and this track is our invitation to the world to dance with us,' she adds. In addition to her musical influence, DJ Doowap continues to break boundaries in fashion and beauty as an official ambassador for both Maybelline and Adidas, reinforcing her position at the cutting edge of youth culture and global cool. Read more | Vusi Nova on turning pain into art in new single, Phendula - 'The hurt was raw' Officixl RSA, on the other hand, is known for tracks like What Time Is It, An Elementary Episode (Vuka, uGeze, Ubangene), and the fan-favourite Madonoro featuring Bob Mabena. In this latest EP, he collaborates with Bob Mabena, MID9T, Benzo, Jeep Jack ZA, and more - each artist adding their own flavour to the mix of two powerful genres that have shaped South African dance floors, Amapiano and Bacardi. Officixl RSA's journey began in Mpumalanga and grew stronger in Pretoria's vibrant music scene. His story is one of dedication, creativity, and constant growth. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bob Mabena (@bobmabena_sa) 'It's like mixing two worlds that speak the same language. The bounce, the vibe, the emotion—it all comes together in a way that feels right. This EP is a reflection of where I am now, and where I'm headed,' he says. One of the standout tracks, Madonoro, started as a beat but found its voice through Bob Mabena. 'We've made magic before, and this time was no different. Bob Mabena always brings the right energy. We just click musically,' he shares.
