Kid influencer steps out of comfort zone to dominate SA Champs
Young influencer Desmond ‘Desi’ Koolen wowed audiences at the SA Champs, winning multiple medals and the overall acting award.
Even the most talented performers have to face their fears, and Desmond ‘Desi’ Koolen is no exception.
During this year’s South African Championships, a national performing arts competition where young talents from across the country showcase their skills in acting, singing, dancing, and modelling, Desi earned multiple medals, as well as the overall acting achievement award for the 5–12 age group.
He recalls his favourite item, a hip-hop dance choreographed by rockstar dance choreographer Quintus Jansen. Despite it being his first time dancing on stage, and definitely the scariest thing he’s ever done, he found it to be the most fun he’d ever had on stage too.
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“It felt very good. I am very happy with my performance and achievements. I medaled for 22 out of my 23 solos, which was an improvement on my 2024 champs. I am definitely adding more dance items to my entries for 2026.”
He said he has done seven different categories in acting, but his favourite ones were comic and musical theatre.
“This year my comic piece was a cowboy who hates horses, with a Texan accent. It was my first time doing accent work, and I really nailed it. For my musical theatre, I did a piece from Seussical Jr. I was the Cat in the Hat. It was super fun, because it incorporates singing, and acting.”
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Desi usually does vocal warmups for singing, and then run through the song a few times to prepare for his delivery on stage. “For acting, I do some warm ups, and do the words a little bit. I will calm my nerves by playing Uno with my mom beforehand. This usually puts me in a winning mood, because I always beat her.”
He is mindful of his busy schedule, which is why, when asked what’s next for him, he said he is taking some time off to catch up on school work “I’m also prioritising some much-needed time with friends, with playdates and parties, and, of course, catching up on all the time I spent away from my PS5.
“I am going to World Champs in Las Vegas in July 2026, so I will start focusing on that training from around February onwards.”
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