South Africa is the largest consumer of House Music in the world. Its' DJ's are becoming internationally recognised. But out of the thousands of young South Africans trying to make it as House DJ's, only a few make it. It is a tough industry to break, 'survival of the fittest' so to speak. Of the ones who do 'make it', it is obvious that they are more than just raw talent.
The music industry is exactly that: an industry.
It is a business.
DJ's who recognise this fact are the ones that seem to break the barriers to entry to the market.
One such case is that of DJ QNess.
When did you realise you had a talent?
When my parents agreed to buy me a keyboard while I was about 15 years of age. It didn’t take me long to master it because I had the passion and I was always sitting on it, I sometimes even slacked at school because of this whole music bug, but I suppose it was round about that time when I realized that I did have the talent to play notes and put songs together...
What makes a good DJ?
What makes a good DJ?
I believe being a good DJ is not having the ability to make people to dance, but rather it is having the ability to actually entertain, making people dance doesn’t nevessarily mean you are entertaining them so for me I always say I am not a DJ, I am not an artist, neither am I a producer, but I am an ENTERTAINER, and this term umbrellas everything I do as Qness...
What inspires your music?
Life situations, and experiences I go through everyday, as well as experiences of people around me. I believe as an artist a song has to relate to you and also to the people, which is why I always try to make sure that whenever I do a song I can relate to it as much as
the next person does...
Which artist would you most like to collaborate with?
Rihanna... I think she is a sensation, she might not be the best vocalist on the market but she sure does have the personality, attitude and knows how to put together strong choruses and good hooks on a song...
What are the biggest obstacles you have experienced in your career?
I’ve always felt underrated, like as if the industry does not want to acknowledge the hard work we put in as Producers and makers of good music. It’s like the way in which it took people like Art Jones to die for him to get recognized and acknowledged by this
industry. I believe people need to receive the flowers while they can still smell them, but we tend not to give each other a chance in this country and I feel that is probably the biggest obstacle hindering the growth of this industry right now...
What is your 5-year plan for your career?
I am creating a legacy, one song at a time and people are starting to notice that and that gives me joy, but within the next five years (and beyond) I want to stay relevant and make sure I am on top of my game, from the music that I make in the studio, to the set that I
play at my gigs to the endorsements that I have, and future ones yet to come I need to keep that level of being the best in what I do. I want to attach my name to relevant brands and products as much as I can as was the case with the Beats by Dre Endorsement I attained
through Audiosure South Africa... There has to be more of those and more hits...the legacy must be created, I want to be legendary in this industry...
What is the best life advice you have ever received?
To believe in what I do and never to let anyone hold me back, or bring me down, and always to persevere...
If you were stuck on a deserted island, what is the one item you would want to have with you?
My Blackberry and its charger...What has been your greatest achievement in life?
My ability to consistently deliver hits and relevant music to a very tough market, from “Fugama Unamathe”, to “Uzongilinda”, to “Time” and more recently my remix of “Believing”... I have proven to the world that I am not a one hit wonder, God has blessed me and he continues to do so in every way... Most people make one hit and then disappear but I am still around and there is no doubt about the fact that I am definitely here to stay...
What has been your best performance so far?
At Mmabatho Stadium during the 2010 World Cup, I played on the decks until my hands were sore, lol... but that was one of my greatest performances ever since the inception of my
DJ career...
Name your favourite place/location in the world?
Favourite T.V. show?
Has to be Idols. I am an addict to uncovering and nurturing new talent...
What is the one thing you would like your fans to know about you?
I am very shy, but I pretend to be otherwise...
Dubai fascinates me...
Which artist are you most inspired by?
To be honest, I draw my inspiration from successful artists such as P. Diddy, Dr. Dre and Jay Z (Sean Carter), reason being these artists have been able to take their brands seriously to the extent that they are not just artists anymore but are businessmen and for me my name is not just a name, it is a business, which I take it very seriously, which is why I follow their footsteps a lot in what I do...
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