Turning tables with DJ Turn T

THABELO Tlale, aka DJ Turn T, has been turning tables for the last year and cannot wait to keep the crowds dancing.

Tlale works in marketing as a brand strategist and has been a qualified DJ for a few years but never used her diploma from the Cape Audio College until a year ago.

“I was interested in this (DJing) since I was a teenager. I asked my dad to buy me equipment as an investment, and I promised him that I’d pay him back, but he never bought it,” she said.

“I’ve spent many years collecting music and I realised at some point that I was obsessed.”

The 31-year-old DJ who hails from Kraaifontein is a deep house music lover who is “passionate about the way music moves people”.

Although a few of her friends knew she was into DJing, Tlale said she lacked the confidence to play at a live gig.

During lockdown Tlale saw many DJs host online events and felt a tinge of jealousy before realising that's where she wanted to be.

“It’s something that never left me. I thought, why wait? Now seems like the perfect time.”

Her first official gig was with DJ Pruluv from Metro FM. Prudence Mathebula hosted a weekly live Instagram show for upcoming DJs.

“I asked to be one of the last people to play and I enjoyed it so much that I ended up playing more than an hour,” she said.

“Pruluv texted me afterwards and said that my session had the highest views of all the ladies she’s had on her Instagram live. I was overwhelmed because I never expected it.”