13 Dec 2015

Sagittarians are happiest on the move, exploring new cultures and ideas and many are attracted to occupations related to travel, media, outdoor work and philosophical pursuits.

This is a Zodiac sign fittingly describing Thato Madilola aka Tdo Soulfreak to whom an idea to explore and become a disc jockey or deejay was far-fetched and has since been making strides in the neighbouring South Africa.

Tdo was born in Kanye on December 2 in the early 80s and he moved to South Africa in 1996. He is based in Vryburg, about 160 kilometres outside Mafikeng.

As a deejay, especially in a foreign country, Tdo  says it was never easy but hard work and determination had him ultimately make it in the industry.

And because he possesses natural exuberance and some sense of adventure and love for music, this, he says has made him optimistic and aim for sights towards what he found alluring; making it on his own.

“Some challenges I encountered did not demoralise me. Instead, they pushed me to work extra hard,” he says.

Like his astrological symbol, he says he believed that anything was possible and he just had to be adept at seeking out his very own pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, adding music has now become his life.

This, he says has now placed him among the most sought after deejays with bookings and gigs lined-up for this festive season until January.

And this will of course see him travelling a lot, within South Africa and will be in Kanye, his birth place, on January 1 to perform at the Gamaila festival alongside other deejays.

Rewind to where it all began, Tdo started as a music collector and he just had to learn the ropes to become an established deejay that he is today.

The soulful house deejay says there is nothing more fulfilling to him than seeing a room filled with people and falling in love with his set and boogying down like there is no tomorrow.

Despite his love for deep soul house, Tdo always thrives to put a smile on his followers’ faces by reading his crowd. 

In most cases, he says the audience is more appealing to commercial house, but to him and like other deejays would do, the number one goal is to read the crowd and deliver. 

He adds that to be a deejay of repute, one needs to take their time and release quality music, just as it is with performing artists. 

One other aspect he says he has learned in the music industry is that, compared to the US or Europe where quality is priority; some entertainers tend to rush into releasing albums without investing time in their projects. 

As such he encourages producers and artistes to forget or delay the fame and focus on producing material that would be future classics.

“Time should be invested in producing records that will be future classics,” he says. 

In the advent of deejay software and digital format, Tdo says he chose vinyl “because this will definitely separate pros from amateurs and that a lot will quit.’’

He is also worried about some deejays who engage in the industry for wrongs reasons.

In support of Tdo's sentiments about vinyl is Dj Sly of RB2’s Easy Drive show, who is also his inspiration. 

Dj Sly says the return of the vinyl will reduce the ‘mickey mouse that kills the Dj industry with their laptops.’ 

He explains that being behind the tables is an art; therefore wish to see many able to cue a song from a vinyl. 

“We want to see guys wheeling a record, scratching a vinyl,” says Dj Sly who emphasises just how this aptly defines a skilled Dj. 

On the other hand, YDJ Academy owner, Leatile Rapoo who is also a Dj known as Ydj, is also of the view that using vinyl will always be an art. 

According to Ydj, basic art of the game is dying and losing value. 

Although he welcomes technological developments, he opines that they can be good only if they contribute to improving what is around and not replace it, adding “very soon software dee-jaying will replace proper art.”

Meanwhile, Tdo joined marketing powerhouse Nerdfone Entertainment in South Africa as a promoter in 2008 and became chief executive officer two years later. He joined SoulHlope in Botswana in 2014 as one of the deejays they promote. He is resident Dj on RB2 every Monday from 3:05pm to 3:35pm.

His performances has seen him share the stage with the likes of Layabouts, Harrison Crump, Black Coffee, Vinny Da Vinci, Dj Fresh, Dj Sly, HT Tautona, Rocco, Ralf Gum, HHP, Liquideep and many others, internationally and locally. 

He has also featured in radio stations like RB2, Motsweding FM and North West FM among others. 

And because he has some sort of philosophical pursuit, this he says, has made it difficult for people to understand him.

However, outside the music industry, Tdo is an easy-going young man who loves watching football. 

He is a fan of Kaizer Chiefs and Bayern Munich.

He also loves movies and above all, he is a fun-loving person who will always remain optimistic in his path to a successful life. Ends