Swinging with DJ Doowap
JOBURG – One of the country’s most exciting live mix DJs, Doowap, has taken the leap into recording original and fresh music. We caught up with the performer as she took us along her newfound journey as she steps into a new dimension.
One of the country’s most exciting live mix DJs, Doowap, has taken the leap into recording original and fresh music. The DJ, now a recording artist, recently released her debut project, Mood Swings EP– an experimental project that sees her fuse her eclectic sound, colourful personality and multi-cultural background taking the listener on an 18-minute auditory journey. We caught up with the performer as she took us along her newfound journey as she steps into a new dimension.
Q You recently held a listening session at Untitled Basement in Braamfontein for your debut EP, Mood Swings, did you expect to get such a heart-warming reception?
A I knew that my work was good. I took very long to finish it, and, I know that I have a great ear. The people who turned up are exactly the ones who were supposed to be there and the energy was beautiful.
Q The title of the EP obviously alludes to the different emotions you went through while recording the project. How did you bring all the emotions together to finally come up with a cohesive project at the end?
A When I first started with production I went too digital. All of the songs that I made before, we scraped them, I thought they would make the EP. The more I started making music with Dave and Explosive DJ was when the sound was going to a ’80s vibe and I was channeling different energies compared to what I was making before. I actually only used the most recent songs and everything that I made over the last three years weren’t the ones. So all the songs from 2019 are what I basically kept – they just had more soul and I could just feel that they were clean.
Q The project is eclectic, from the languages to the sound. With French, English and isiZulu, what influenced you to bring these languages together?
A My verses are better in French – the French just came naturally and the flow was always more sexy in the French. With English had to be there for control and bring people together and then the Zulu, those are my roots – I’m Swati but I guess we’re all Nguni and i needed that in my EP or else it wouldn’t be rooted in anything.
Q How did the multi-cultural background influence the final product?
A That’s the main thing. Everything came together on the EP and I think that’s why I feel so soulful because all my influences are on there.
Q From Mr. Allofit to Koek Sista, Mood Swings, has some strong features. How did you select the people you wanted on the project?
A You know what’s crazy? For years I’ve been getting the most incredible artists asking me to make music with me. But I figured that I needed to drop my own thing before taking on those collabortaions. With Mr. Allofit and Koek Sista I feel we’re on par and they’re about to blow up.
Q If there’s one thing you’d like anyone to take away after listening to Mood Swings, what would it be?
A The one thing I want people to take away is that we’re colourful beings and we should be united in diversity.
