We catch up with Kyle Cassim
He’s one of the biggest EDM names in SA and one half of the duo Cinimin. We caught up with the 29-year-old to learn about his musical journey
Cinimin won best EDM record at the 2018 Dance Music Awards SA for You and Me (featuring Amy Jones) and you were nominated for best male DJ and best dance radio show. How did that feel? “It’s humbling in so many ways because I’ve been working on my music since I was 13. I’ve always been reaching to be the best in SA, so to be nominated in three categories is really an honour.” You began by playing at school discos. When did you turn professional? “I started playing in bars and small clubs at 19, then got noticed by some of the bigger acts. They’d come and perform at those clubs and say ‘the guy who’s opening for us is actually cool.’ Then I got booked at H20 dance festival about 10 years ago, which is one of the most prestigious festivals in the country.” You started out playing all kinds of music. Why did you choose dance music? “Some of my mentors told me I have to be known for something in order to grow. I can’t just be a versatile DJ because no one really pays attention to the guy who plays both hip-hop and house. I had to specialise and my passion lies in house music, disco and funk, so that’s what I pursued.” You’ve been on tour in Europe – how do the crowds in SA compare? “It’s completely different. The great thing about SA is we actually have our own scene here. We play a lot of our own music in South Africa – whether it’s the urban scene or the base house scene, we have our own genres, which is cool. Overseas it’s just more of an international sound.” How do you feel about your success in SA? “I’m still getting there, I’m only beginning. I still see myself as a small fish.” You teamed up with your brother Austin (21) to form Cinimin. How did that come about? “We’ve always been close and he loves music just as much as I do. When he finished school I could see he also wanted to be a DJ. So we’ve teamed up and now produce our own music. We’ve got a new track out, You and Me. It’s the 10th most Shazamed song in SA at the moment and it’s on all the dance charts.” What advice would you give aspiring DJs? “Firstly, produce your own music. There’s nothing really fancy about putting two tracks together. It’s about playing something you actually made. Secondly, if that’s the career you’re choosing, keep working at it. It took me 16 years to get nominated for a dance music award. Nothing happens overnight.” What’s been your biggest highlight so far? “There are so many, but right now it’s having my own dance show on 5FM. I actually have a T-shirt signed by some of the DJs I looked up to when I was 13. I told them I wanted to be a 5FM DJ, and 15 years later that’s actually happened.” What’s next for Kyle Cassim? “I currently have an online TV cooking show called Cassim’s Kitchen, but I also want my own comedy, satire and entert ainment talk show on TV.”