Eswatini DJ Lady Gee, whose real name is Nondumiso Dlamini, described her booking to perform at MTN Bushfire as one of the biggest moments of her career so far.
The DJ, who built her name through township events and local entertainment spaces, said the booking represented years of consistency, growth, and dedication to Gqom music, a genre that remains less explored by most of DJs in Eswatini.
“I was still overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement because this is a platform that every creative dreams of being part of. To be recognised and trusted with such a big stage meant a lot to me, especially as a female DJ pushing Gqom music in Eswatini where Amapiano, hip hop and house music are more viral.”
Lady Gee said her interest in entertainment started at a young age through dancing before she later developed an interest in DJing software, particularly Virtual DJ.
“I started DJing in 2018 after developing a deep love for music and entertainment from a young age,” she said.
“Before DJing, I was passionate about dancing, and later became interested in DJing software, especially Virtual DJ, which sparked my curiosity even more. With time, that passion grew into something serious and became part of my journey in entertainment.”
She said Gqom became the genre that connected most with her personality and style behind the decks.
“Gqom has always been more than just a genre to me, it was a sound that connected deeply with my energy, creativity, and personality behind the decks. I always believed in staying authentic to the music I truly loved.”
Lady Gee said she enjoyed the raw energy, hard basslines, and unique feeling that Gqom brought to the dancefloor.
Inspiration Behind the Art
She also credited several South African Gqom artists and producers for inspiring her journey, including DJ Tira, Dlala Thukzin, Dankie Boi, We Dem Boyz, and Blacks Jnr Yamazi Yini.
“A lot of my inspiration came from artists and DJs who shaped the culture of Gqom and inspired many of us across Africa, and are at the forefront of it’s return back to the mainstream music scene”
“Watching their growth, creativity, and impact in the industry inspired me to keep improving myself as an artist and to believe that Gqom deserved bigger spaces and audiences.”
Locally, she said DJ Motoyemali played an important role in her growth as a DJ and mentor.
“His guidance, support, and belief in my talent played a huge role in my growth as a DJ, especially in understanding and pushing the Gqom culture in Eswatini.”
Beyond The Deck
Outside of music, Lady Gee works as a Computer Scientist and previously worked as an ICT teacher and an IT Support Assistant at Ubombo Sugar. She also works as a freelance software developer while running a sound hire business and her clothing label, One Play Clothing Brand.
Lady Gee also described her upcoming back-to-back set with So What as one of the highlights of the booking.
“What made this booking even more special for me was that I would be doing a back-to-back set with So What, who was regarded as one of the Gqom gurus in Eswatini,” she said.
“I believe this performance would be a special moment, not only for us as DJs, but also for Gqom lovers who appreciated the growth of the genre in the country.”
She said she hopes the milestone would inspire more women to confidently enter spaces that were often male-dominated.
“I hope it will inspire more women to confidently step into spaces that were often male-dominated and to never be afraid of choosing a different sound or path in the music industry.”
