Born, Thabo Mfazo 26 years ago, DJ Chopa is yearning for more recognition and becoming a household name. The future is already shaping up for the Siviya-born youngster as he is already getting gigs beyond the country’s borders after his recent act at the Wine & Tasting event in Rustenburg, South Africa.
He has also played at some of the famous clubs and major events alongside some of the big names in the industry.
He told Arts&Culture that his love and passion for deejaying came about through the discovery of a well-renowned Electronic Dance Music Festival in 2012 during a Tomorrowland event. During this event, he got inspired by the ability of DJ’s to make massive crowds dance and create memories through this music. Eager to learn more about Dj’ing, DJ Chopa started teaching himself how to deejay by blending and mixing tracks using virtual computer software, which has simulated real DJ equipment.
In 2016, while at the university, DJ Chopa used the time to further improve his craft. He would then enrol with the Next Best DJ Academy in 2018, a professional and licensed DJ School, where he got exposed to real deejaying equipment and continued to hone his skills and talent behind the decks. “In 2018, my first mix was aired on Yarona FM, which boosted my profile. I started to get gigs at various night clubs like Chez Nicholas, Linga Longa Restaurant and other events.
It motivated me and I became a resident DJ at Linga Longa Restaurant, Infinity Lounge (Old Boulevard) in Phakalane and a regular at Yarona FM,” he added. DJ Chopa also says whilst he started his music career as an EDM DJ, he has since been swayed into the bandwagon of the trendy Amapiano music. “I have been in love with EDM since I discovered it in 2012 and was eager to learn more and discover more about this genre of music which was not popular in Botswana.
The love and passion intensively grew as I got to discover one or two DJs playing the music. I now specialise in the Amapiano genre and go with this hashtag across my social media #PianoKamaSutra,” DJ Chopa said. He stated that he is gradually relocating to South Africa after establishing links with the South African Amapiano Production and DJ’ing industry. He says exploring and penetrating the South African market would be a big deal for him. DJ Chopa is currently the Head of Events & Marketing and Resident DJ at the newly opened Montage Lounge situated at Kgabo Mall in Mochudi.
