DJ Blanka shares his knowledge with aspirant artists

Blanka has always had a feel for music, but he ignored it while he was still young, believing it was just a phase that would pass.

“I remember in primary school, I always had a pen in my hand that I will use to make beats on the school desk. I didn’t realise what it really meant back then, but I enjoyed it.”

His older brother introduced him to house music. He had a large house music collection.

Blanka took the music route when he ended up at a bash at the Peninsula Technikon (now Cape Peninsula University of Technology) in 2012. His uncle left him in the car while he went inside the venue to work. Blanka, who is claustrophobic, decided to get out and look for his uncle. He was just 14.

“I was so tiny around all these adults. The security guards asked me where I’m going and I told them I’m looking for my uncle. Strangely they let me in … I remember very well, Vinny Da Vinci was playing. I was amazed by the power of what he was doing had over so many people. They were dancing to his beat. That is when I knew this is something I would love to do.”

His big break in the deejaying world came when a friend of his recommended him for a company end of year function.

“I had never really deejayed before, but I knew I wanted to do this. I remember very well that I used CD players to play at the party, but people really enjoyed themselves.”

The success of that night led to more bookings for Blanka. He started reading up. “I read about all kinds of equipments and how they work. By the time I was actually put in front of the equipment, I knew so much.”

In the middle of his tertiary studies in financial information systems, Blanka came across an opportunity to work at Soul Candi.

I invited Ryan Murgatroyd from Soul Candi on Facebook as I had fallen in love with his work.

“One day, he posted a status update saying he would like someone to make him tea and in return he would teach that person how to make music.” Blanka thought this was a joke.

“I inboxed him to ask if he is serious, and he said, yes.”

Blanka has never looked back. He has a lecturing job at Soul Candi, and produced songs like Inthombi that is on Crazy White Boy’s latest album.

Growing up in a home with a mother who is a teacher and a father who is a school principal, Blanka always valued education.

“A qualification in anything is important. I still use what I’ve learned in my financial qualification for my music career.” Blanka also believes that a music qualification is important to support one’s talent.

“There are certain things you learn in the music school that you would not know just from the experience of just being booked at events, there are things such as the background of music and the business side of music.”

Upcoming DJs and artists often argue that they cannot afford to study. But, says Blanka, “Like any career you do your research before you get into it. There are funds like NSFAS, bursaries, student loans, that are there to assist with financial struggles of students with potential.”

Blanka advises students to do research while they are still in Grade 11 or 12 to find out about opportunities.

He also does his share of giving back by mentoring upcoming DJs and producers.

“I have been assisting a group of students from Paarl with producing. I am always there to assist upcoming artist, and I am willing to talk at seminars or workshops. I could never put value to the amount of experience I have gained from Ryan as it is priceless, I would also like to give other upcoming artists the same amount of experience.”

Blanka is currently working on an album, which he described as abstract.

“My album focuses on all the music I love. There are kinds of music that people do not know I can produce so there will definitely be some surprises on the album.”

Blanka is also a mix DJ on Umhlobo Wenene, Bush Radio and Good Hope FM.

You can follow Blanka on Twitter @BlankaMazimela or like his page on Facebook Blanka Mazimela