KDOLLAHZ

Like the mysteries of the universe, KDOLLAHZ is a work-in-progress, continually revealing new depths and layers to his cultural and personal expression in away that keeps drawing people into his world.

In 2019, the DJ-cum-internet-sensation-cum-cultural-figurehead turned up on Angel-Ho’s “Pose”, played a blowout set at Rocking the Daisies and continued to deliver the live sets that have seen him become a consistent feature of South Africa’s music line-ups.

The year built off the previous two which were marked by real personal and professional evolution, including playing over 150 shows in 2017, kicking off the Boiler Room, Ballantine’s True Music Cape Town DJ Set, mixing on local and international platforms, including Rinse FM, being nominated by The Plug as one of the most influential people in SA culture (2018), supporting MIA’s South African shows, and serving up beats for the 2018 Jose Cuervo Seize The City.

It’s a notable ascent for the Cape Town raised artist and trans activist – but it’s no surprise: there’s a great deal that elevates KDOLLAHZ in a crowded space, the most prominent being his otherworldly aesthetic. Sometimes described as maximum nostalgic thrust, it is a sonic exploration that emerges from a deep love for timeless classics and the rhythms of the golden years of R’nB, Funk, Disco and Soul.

“I’m influenced by soundtrack of yesteryears playboys, mac-daddies, supalovers and other such masters of the universe – not just in my sound but my persona,” says KDOLLAHZ. Raw talent and a well-trained ear inform a style that seamlessly brings this multi-dimensional heritage into the contemporary realm where an unmatched ability to blend classics with modern day hits allows KDOLLAHZ to educate, enlighten and entertain human beings from all corners of the known universe.

“It comes down to the fact that the music that I grew up on laid a strong foundation upon which my present day sound is built,” acknowledges KDOLLAHZ.

A glimpse into that world came when he was one of the stars of a BOILER ROOM TV short film about the city of KDOLLAHZ’s birth during a four-city tour by the global music platform. But it’s also KDOLLAHZ’s continual building of a new world that brings extra-terrestrial power to his sets across the country’s premier clubs and festivals – breaking cultural and genre based prejudices as he goes, and proving to be a source of light from a distant galaxy.

The remarkable thing is that no-one is excluded from this world. As KDOLLAHZ’s Sunday with Kdollahz Soundcloud mixes show, this is music “for your mommy’s listening pleasure”. “My sound is focused on love, happiness and friendship. I want to give people a reason to let go and have a good time,” he says. In the year 2020, KDOLLAHZ is an ancient soul who speaks through a young earth body, whispering stories of days past, using the artform he so loves. A pioneer, a role model and a voice for a sidelined generation, KDOLLAHZ is many worlds in one form and one form in the world that will not rest until it is reimagined in his vision.