Radiant Zinhle finds love
LIFE AND LOVE ARE BLOSSOMING
DJ ZINHLE sashays into the California Dreaming restaurant on the Durban beachfront, accompanied by an all-male entourage that includes rappers Cassper Nyovest and Riky Rick. The statuesque and svelte beauty looks hip and trendy in a denim-ondenim ensemble. But, above all, she’s wearing a sunshine smile on her face that lights up the entire room as she’s seen snapping a few selfies and goofing around with her male pals. She later reveals to me that she is in a good space right now, following a difficult year that saw her go through a very public break-up. “Last year was tough for me. But I gave [that] a year. I was just like, after a year it is over and I’m starting afresh. The highest goal for me is always happiness. I spent a whole year working on myself, my healing and just finding myself again,” Zinhle says. The happiness she has been yearning for has come in the form of romance. Although she shies away from divulging the name of the new guy in her life only referring to him as “my baby ”– or any details on how they met, she confirms she is happy. It has been reported that she is dating Brendon Naidoo, CEO of Apogee Empire Management. “I had a very powerful conversation with my friend, where I told her that I keep meeting people, but I keep meeting the wrong person. She advised that I just stop and become the person that I want to meet. If you want someone that is kind to you then you need to become that person to yourself first and you will attract that person,” Zinhle says. “I did that 100% person. So I told myself how beautiful I was and how much I loved myself, all that kind of stuff because we can be so unkind to ourselves. I was also open to meeting someone amazing. I gave myself time and when I met him it was instant. I was just like ‘this is my guy’. I have probably seen him every day since then. He is ease of life, kind, happiness and amazing.” What’s more is that Zinhle has also scored a sought-after gig, as one of the headline acts for the inaugural Essence Festival Durban. The entertainment and lifestyle extravaganza takes place between November 8 and 13 in Durban and Zinhle will share the stage with the likes of American R&B crooner Ne-Yo, Nigerian superstar Wizkid, SA megastar Black Coffee and more. “When I heard that Essence was coming, I was just like ‘God please let me be part of the experience’. “Durban is a beautiful city. I’m a DJ. I’m going to be on stage and we love big crowds. More than anything I want to be in the crowd experiencing the festival. I’m already thinking of my set. I mean it’s a big international crowd. You have to plan and I want memorable sets every time.”
In her illustrious 11-year career behind the decks, Zinhle has positioned herself as a leading female house maestro. However, she prefers to stay away from making any bold statements such as the First Lady of House.
“I’m going through this process of awakening and I’m wary of any labels because there is great danger that comes with it,” she says. “I’m a very successful female DJ, not in the sense that I’m the richest or biggest, but because of the influence and my contribution in making sure that other girls come in. I’m not obsessed with being crowned the First Lady, but rather with opening the industry to more women.”
She is the proud mother of 14-monthold daughter Kairo Owethu Forbes whose father is rapper AKA. She relies on her great team to assist her as she juggles motherhood and her successful career that sees her on the road a lot.
“I respect mothers so much. I have one child and I don’t know how my mother raised four kids. I have no idea how anyone has more than one child and they do it with so much grace. I have a lot of help with Kairo and there are mothers who are doing it full time. Motherhood is a whole new world – such a blessing.”
For now she is happy with just one child. “I think it’s a bit too soon for me to decide if I can have another one. Time will tell.”