If you’ve had the luck of listening to podcasts from UK or UK influenced podcasts, you would often question yourself if there was a South African DJ that played that kind of sound well and got everybody dancing also.
Usually you find a DJ playing 1 or 2 of those songs, unlikely do you ever find a DJ really playing such music, taking that risk, reading the crowd and delivering a set so unique and deep (with a touch of progressive), that it keeps you on your feet, dancing and wanting more, as if you’ve been yearning for such a sound.
Until you hear TanZzanite play.
Now when you first meet her, you wouldn’t say she is a powerful force, waiting to explode. You would possibly say she is sweet, petit and beautiful but that’s until she presses “play“, Then a completely different her emerges, not a scary version of her but somewhat of a – Yo.
Anyway, I caught up with her to pick her brain. Check out my interview with her below.
1. TanZzanite, please explain this name. How it came about or how did you get it? (My theory is, you took your real name and combined it with “dynamite”)
Haha clever, but no. I’ve had the nickname “Tanzz” since Primary School. I needed a Twitter handle and that name was already taken, so my friend came up with TanZzanite and I’ve stuck with it ever since.
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2. There was an interesting phrase I came across in a press release, “Emotionally Driven Music”. What does this mean to you?
I guess it is kind of self explanatory. Music that drives a person emotionally. Music evokes emotion. Music is usually made based on emotions felt or what the artist is going through at the time. The aim is to try make the listener emotionally expressive to music.
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3. Please share with us some musical memories you have. Beautiful, shocking and treasured.
There’s not one specific musical memory I have, there’s a few. Just listening to certain tracks for the first time and being really moved by them. Or simply just relating to tracks having experienced things or experiencing them at that present moment. I will always value and treasure music that has had a big influence on my life.
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4. You are asked to store 2 records/songs in a time capsule, that years from now people will remember you, “Thandi” by and a “Tanzzanite” set by.
Thandi: Ben Watt – A Stronger Man
TanZzanite: Jimpter – Infinity Dub
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5. I’ve witnessed you play and spoken to you before a set, it’s almost like watching a kitten transform into a lioness. What happens to you when you press “play”?
Haha. Interesting. Well the play button would be the start of the transformation you’re talking about. I just play what I feel on the night. Sometimes I give what I get off from the vibe/crowd at a gig. I try play to the best of my ability and have fun doing it too. Let the “lioness” emerge 😉
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6. Good music is from the heart and soul, what does your heart and soul say when you play?
Whatever I am feeling at the time – trying to interpret that through everything that I play, in hopes that the people listening will get a sense of my heart and soul
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TanZzanite is on “the rise and rise” with her love of music and unique way of interacting with people, to connect with please check her out here:
Facebook: Thandi TanZzanite Nxumalo
Twitter: @TanZzanite
SoundCloud: TanZzanite
Bookings: tanzzanite1@gmail.com