Pretoria – Veteran South African journalist and assistant editor of the Pretoria News, Kennedy Mudzuli, is set to take the local music scene by storm with his first single.
Titled "Ko Davin", the single is due for release on digital music stores on July 24.
The rising Afro-house DJ is affectionately called DJ Edit SA by his growing fan base. The father of two, who lives in Tshwane, said he used the lockdown period to his advantage by putting together his debut masterpiece.
Having to manage a demanding schedule, Mudzuli said his mornings are dedicated to creating and perfecting his music, while his afternoons and evenings are reserved to edit the newsy Pretoria News, which – because of lockdown – he now does from home.
“I’ve always been known as the guy with the best playlist and latest music. However, I only started sharpening my music selecting and mixing skills in 2017. I made mixtapes and uploaded them online,” he said.
Next up was residency on the SMU FM (Sefako Makgatho University) breakfast show, and today Mudzuli's mixes are played on several radio stations in the country. In three short years he has built a loyal following with his weekly mixtape series, "The Shift", reaching more than 40 000 people online.
While the Covid-19 lockdown in South Africa delayed the official launch of "Ko Davin", it promises to be one of the great collaborations of the year and DJ Edit SA is ready for a wider audience to get to know him.
"The music-making process as a whole is challenging, and if you throw in a full-time job and a world pandemic, it forces you to think outside of the box.
"Getting used to working from home was a challenge at first and not being able to mingle with other role players in the music industry is a pain," said Mudzuli.
"The dream was to launch 'Ko Davin' to a live audience, but I know Afro-house and music followers have grown accustomed to turning up the volume from the safety of their homes and that the single will be a hit regardless."
"Ko Davin" features one of the country's top vocalists and performers, Leon Lee, as well as Percy Sleash SA, a musician in his own right. Behind the scenes is the genius Kay-9ine.
"The lyrics are inspired by Da Davin Lifestyle Lounge in Soshanguve (north of Tshwane). Those who know the venue will agree it’s the place to be on a night out.
"The single is an ode to when Tshwane nightlife was a pulse of great entertainment for dance and music lovers. The pandemic has robbed us of getting together under neon lights, but great music is what still keeps us together," said Mudzuli.
For Mudzuli, there is one chance to impress the audience and he feels his reputation and goals in the music industry depend on this moment.
"I predict this track is destined to be one of the hottest tracks of the year… watch this space,” said Mudzuli confidently.
"Ko Davin" is the first single off "The Shift" extended-play record (EP).
DJ Edit SA has just finished working on a second single, "Mukwevho", titled after his clan name, to be followed by a third, a gospel-inspired Afro-house track. The EP will drop later in the year, in time for summer holidays.
“Ko Davin” is released by DJ Edit SA Music and distributed by Electromode.
"Mudzuli is very disciplined and strives for excellence in all he does," said Pretoria News editor Val Boje.
"We know he will impress with this single. We are proud of his accomplishment and wish him all the best for this new edition."
Follow the below link to preorder the song:
https://electromodeza.lnk.to/KoDavinAr