#DHLA pres. The Dj Lusanda innerview....

We are still fresh from the holiday season spirit, hoping everyone is in a recovery mode too. We dropping the Dj Lusanda innerview right here, right now. #DHLA style!

Hoping you are ready, we are....

Here is the 1st part of our Dj Lusanda innerview....

#DHLA :Who are you and where do you come from?

#LU: My name is Lucinda Roux and I am a young coloured woman, strong in my identity as a South African. I come from Paarl and lived most of my life there. I now live in the northern suburbs of Cape Town. I attended public school in my neighbourhood of New Orleans in Paarl. I went to Stellenbosch University for tertiary education and in 2011 graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering. At the moment, I have a full-time job as a civil engineer specialising in transport engineering and road infrastructure. 
 

#DHLA: What do people know you as?

#LU: I have too many nicknames hey. People call me all sorts of names, like Cindy, Cinda, Lu, Luci, but in terms of my DJ career I am known as DJ Lusanda. It’s a bit of a funny story of how I got the name. All my life I had Xhosa people around me, and especially more now that I am in the music and engineering industries. So whenever a Xhosa person asked me my name, I’d say Lucinda. But due to the difference in pronunciation between Xhosa and Afrikaans, people heard Lusanda. The next thing they’d then ask me is why do I have a Xhosa name? I’d respond saying “I am a white Xhosa”. Now almost everyone calls me Lusanda, white, coloured and black, and I love it.

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#DHLA : So what does Lusanda mean?

#LU: Well, in Xhosa it means to make more, growth and I would like to increase our South African people’s pride in their culture, work and traditions by restoring their honour and dignity through music, which builds character. I believe that we can achieve success and rise out of our poverty, however difficult, by finding a unique way to express our talents creatively. We should share it with others and strive to inspire them to reach for their own dreams. I believe that within this action lies our abundance, our way forward and our way out of poverty. 

#DHLA : Where did DJing start for you?

#LU: Well, it started when a DJ friend of mine told me in 2007 that he can see I am a DJ through the way I listen to house music. I only discovered SA House music late in my life, in 2005 when I was at university. I remember it felt like a whole new world opened up for me, instantly hooked, and I haven’t looked back since. Around 2011, after graduating and moving to Cape Town I enrolled in some DJ courses with Soul Candi and Soundprint. I entered the Sisters of Spin DJ competition in Cape Town and was selected as runner up. With the prize money I began buying my own equipment. Since then I’ve invested in broadening my knowledge by attending music conferences, which is also great for networking, watching other DJ’s play and talking to them and just playing…for the love of house.

#DHLA :    Where are you currently in the music/DJing industry?

 #LU: I would say I am still at the beginning of my career and have a few opportunities to pursue in terms of becoming a resident DJ at a few places. For now I can only play on weekends, as I have to balance this with my job as an engineer. So I have spent a few months focusing on the brand DJ Lusanda and have developed logos and marketing material with my friend Sam van Straaten who is a graphic designer in Cape Town.

  #DHLA ::What are your goals for the future, where do you see yourself?

#LU:I see myself right at the top with the big dawgs. Yes D.A.W.G! There are so many things I still want to do, so many people I want to inspire, with who I want to share my story with. My DJ career I regard as my platform to be a voice that uplifts people through the music. I will record mixes that will each tell their own story and upload it for download on my Soundcloud page. But despite of all the goals and plans, I see myself as an entrepreneur; a business owner of the product that is me.  

     #DHLA ::What is your area of expertise when it comes to music?

#LU: I dare to say it is my knowledge of local and international music. I understand the differences in the party culture of the different races and ages of the people in our country. Music can bring people together, and I will never underestimate the power of playing the right song at the right time.    

  #DHLA :Can you remember when your love for music started?

#LU: It started when I was very young. My parents would have friends over and sing songs together while some play on guitars or on the piano. I grew up with a piano in my house, and my eldest brother is basically the musician in our family. He can play the piano, organ, violin, bassoon, oboe and guitar. I sang in the choir during my school years, second alto and tenor because of my deep and husky voice. I also played piano for a little bit but that didn’t take. I own a djembe drum and started learning to play this powerful instrument.

  #DHLA :Who inspired you that much that you decided to become a DJ?

#LU: Someone whose mixing skill always astonished me is DJ Kent. I always wondered how he played four songs and beats at the same time. Then I saw him mix live like that for the first time in Khayelitsha in 2010. I remember he’d just released his album “I Can’t Survive” and I was on the dance floor that day with my own album for him to sign. He is such a humble guy and he even had a sling bag with his albums to sell at the gig. And the rest is history; the man is a legend now. Another definite inspiration is Black Coffee. His struggle through adversity to the point of being an international star, and especially his 60hr set in 2010 to launch his foundation for people with disabilities, definitely inspired me to see the impact a DJ can have.

  #DHLA :What style of music do you play?

#LU: I don’t like to limit myself to a specific genre instead I try to continually increase my knowledge of the vast variety of music that’s out there and is available at a touch of a button. However, as the brand DJ Lusanda, my specialty is House and being able to play all the different sub-genres of it.

 #DHLA :What style of music do you play?

#LU:I don’t like to limit myself to a specific genre instead I try to continually increase my knowledge of the vast variety of music that’s out there and is available at a touch of a button. However, as the brand DJ Lusanda, my speciality is House and being able to play all the different sub-genres of it.

  #DHLA :Have you ever considered other genres?

#LU: Something that is important to me is I want to entertain people and play music that makes strangers feel like friends. I always consider other genres and this is dependent on the crowd I play for. So many DJ’s nowadays play for themselves or to impress other DJ’s, totally ignoring the crowd. I want to play for a variety of people and therefor I need to know all the timeless classics over different genres to be prepared for anything. One genre I find challenging to mix is Hip-Hop, but I’m working on it.

    #DHLA :How do you find the industry?

#LU: I think at this stage it is too early for me to have a definite answer to this question since, I am only starting out. Mostly what I know about the industry I have experienced from the crowd’s side of things. I must say the House industry in Southern Africa is a rich culture on its own. The people, the dances, the vocals, the DJs, the clothes, the drinks, the instruments and most especially the music all plays a role in how I perceive this culture and industry. Through my music I want to break the peoples’ misconceptions they have about each other. A white person has the full right to listen to Kwaito just as much as a black person can love Afrikaans music. We should not judge another but rather share our differences and celebrate our diversity.

   #DHLA :Have you ever incurred any difficulties as a female DJ?

#LU: I work as a civil engineer in an industry that is dominated by men. The challenges I have experienced there has made me sensitive to discrimination whether it be towards women or men. I believe that women and men each have their roles in which they are strongest. Yes, we have equal opportunities but we have different strengths. We should rather build on our strengths and respect each other when working together. In my opinion there will always be haters in life but I can’t let that stop me from being my best self.

 #DHLA :As a DJ what kind of lessons would you pass on to the upcoming generations that would want to pursue a career in DJing?

#LU: Anyone should do research before pursuing any career, so you can have an idea of what you are getting into. Many times, due to the media, people get the wrong impressions of what a DJ is and they want the glam and celebrity status that goes with it. However it is not all glitz and glam, it is hard work, dedication and a will to succeed in entertaining people. All of the big names in the industry like Black Coffee, Oskido, Euphonik and DJ Fresh, had to work hard to get to where they are today. It is years of work they have put in and they have made sacrifices we can’t even begin to imagine. So what I am trying to say is, always do your research properly, have a plan and set goals, then work hard to achieve them. You will experience good times and low times, but as long as you keep on pushing, the success is inevitable. Never give up on your dreams!

 #DHLA :What was the best moment you ever had behind the decks?

#LU: I think my best moment was the day I realised with confidence that I can beat match (yes guys, without the sync button). It took months and months of practicing my ear, finding the first beat and getting the timing right. Now it feels so easy but when I started out, it was the most difficult thing to do. I realised that there are certain things that can only be perfected with daily practice. The most important thing is to keep pushing no matter how frustrating it is. Another significant moment behind the decks was when I performed Oskido’s track with Candy Mabhiza “Tsa Mandebele” at a friend’s party, meaning I imitate Candy’s vocals even though I don’t understand a word. I am telling you people went insane and it felt great.

Thats a wrap everybody. Book Dj Lusanda on: