DJ makes his mark on international market
Producer releases new EP Motherland
From working with Oscar Mbo to Nduduzo Makhathini, Kususa, Black Motion and Bobbi Fallon, music producer and recording artist DJ Vanco is making strides on the international market.
Fresh off his European summer tour that took him to Ibiza, Montenegro, Switzerland and Germany, Vanco admits that becoming an established producer didn’t happen overnight. It required discipline and learning various techniques to perfect the use of percussion, chords and beats of crafting a banger.
“I started this music thing way too late, I was 22 when I realised that I wanted to do music. When I was doing my matric in 2009, my mother wanted to send me to Limpopo or Western Cape to study dentistry but I told myself there was no way I was leaving Gauteng because I wanted to do music. I told myself that I would do whatever it takes to stay in Gauteng,” Vanco says.
“That’s when I applied at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and studied quantity surveying (QS) in which I have acquired an honours degree. As I was practising as a QS during the day, at night I would enhance my skills as a music producer.”
His ear for music stems from the harmonic melodies that were played in his mother’s living room, usually on Sundays
after church and over seven colours lunch. “I’m from a family who is very rooted in Christianity. I grew up listening to Sipho Makhabane, Rebecca Malope, Lundi and Mzwakhe Mbuli. I am a 1992 kid, so my views and outlook on music are entrenched from such artists,” he says.
“I was raised by a single mother who’s my number one fan. Just recently I played at Spring Fiesta, it was the biggest festival she’s watched me perform at. She was left speechless and in awe of what I do, which makes me happy because that’s what matters to me – seeing her so proud.”
The 30-year-old has shared stages with prolific artists such as Black Coffee, Bob Sinclar,
Da Capo, DJ Angelo, Themba, Djeff, Shimza, DJ Fresh and Pablo Fierro.
Vanco’s newest EP Motherland is about sharing a piece of himself from all the corners of the globe he has travelled.
He plans to further extend his footprint in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the rest of Africa through thumping percussions, heavy baselines and sweet vocals.
“Since I was a child, I always believed there were no limits to something which I apply in my adulthood. I believe you can go beyond your imagination, with hard work of course. My latest offering is to showcase our various rhythms in Africa with the artists I collaborated with on the EP.”