DJ Bravo talks state of DJing
Dumisani Ncube | Wednesday September 16, 2015 15:53
Recently Angolan-turned South African (SA) DJ Dino Bravo (real name Vladimir Bravo) spoke to Showbiz about the current state of DJing. It was during his last week visit to Botswans. DJ Dino Bravo has been in the music industry for close to two decades starting during the vinyl and cassette era.
“Today in the age of internet you can quickly send your art to a larger market. The catch is in producing a good song that will get you a big market; gone are the days when DJs used to play other people’s music,” he explained.
The disc jockey stated that DJs should teach themselves how to play instruments, produce sound, “research and educate yourself on the Internet”. DJ Dino Bravo started by playing other people’s music, then enrolled for music lessons, which led to him making his own music. He later released his first album, Bravomania.
He said for a DJ to win people’s hearts, they have to really convince listeners that they have the skill by delivering the right sound at the right moment. DJ Dino Bravo had to leave his native country Angola for South Africa for greener pastures.
DJ Dino Bravo advised that a DJ should have an archive of music to caters for people of different backgrounds, demographics and music taste. “Being a DJ means you are an expert of music.
You do not have to limit yourself. If you do so you will be limiting your market. How do you please everyone if you have one type of music? You will never succeed.” he warned.
“Locally we have club DJs that specialise on specific music genres and some who play a variety of music such as RnB, Hip hop, Rock, Soul and Dancehall.”
DJ Bravo who gives a lot of respect to DJ Fresh for giving him the breakthrough, is a bit disappointed by the state of DJing in Botswana.
“They need to step it up. we do not have much of them in the spotlight,” he said in reference to local aspiring Djs.
I have been here so many times and I have seen a lot of talent. I don’t know maybe they don’t believe in themselves, but they could be doing well internationally”.
He further advised local DJs to produce their own material and take it to different radio stations.