DJ Hlo: Industrial Psychology Graduate Who Turned to Deejaying

[Image Source: Social Telecast]

By Kinyua Mwangi

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Over the years, Ukhozi FM's annual New Year's Eve countdown has established itself as the most crucial indicator of the year's biggest hit by a wide margin and DJ Hlo happens to be part of it.

Artists vie for a spot on the radio station's Top 10 list, which is released every month. And, with nearly eight million listeners, being named to the station's Record of the Year list signifies that you have a legitimate smash song on your hands.

Read Also: DJ Hlo Responds to Critics after Bagging Ukhozi FM’s Song of the Year Award

The biggest surprise for Mzansi was the new entrant who despite people not hearing of before, scooped the Record of the Year by Ukhozi FM listeners. ‘Isibani’ was the song that booked DJ Hlo this spot.

She became South Africa’s first female DJ to win this award. It was unbelievable how she beat the likes of DJ Maphorisa despite doing well with ‘Izolo’. The 24-year-old Durban resident from Seaview released the song as a single and it quickly rose to the top of the Radiomonitor charts.

Read Also: DJ Maphorisa’s Fans Dispute Ukhozi FM Song of the Year Award Given to DJ Hlo

In order to provide data to record companies and radio stations, Radiomonitor keeps track of the number of times songs are played around the world. According to a survey conducted by Ukhozi FM, the most popular song was ‘Isibani’.

DJ Hlo, who was raised in a musically-inclined family, says her love for music began at the age of seven. Having grown up listening to artists like Brenda Fassie, she credits her early love of music with solidifying her passion for it.

After graduating from the University of KwaZulu-Natal with a degree in Industrial Psychology and Management, she decided to pursue a career as a DJ. In her own words, she describes her music as a marriage of real emotion and heart-wrenching instrumentals.

It has a lot of energy and appeals to people of all ages. The word 'Isibani' translates to 'Light' in English. As a whole, the song is a love letter to the people that brighten our days and inspire us to be our best selves. They challenge us to go beyond.