“I’m all about the good times and I’m all about making people dance,” DJ Tira tells Apple Music. “When people listen to the album, I want them to know the party has just started.” Ikhenani—inspired by the biblical city of Canaan—is the sonic equivalent of a promised land. After helping guide Big Nuz, Professor and Babes Wodumo, he’s ready to propel his own career with a complete studio project. “This is my first studio album where I’ve produced every single track on the album, so it’s very exciting times for me,” the multifaceted artist shares. Ikhenani bears his trademark gqom sound while deftly incorporating hip-hop, Afrohouse, maskandi and gospel. A Step Up from Compilations “I’ve released albums before as part of Durban’s Finest, and I also had another compilation I did with the label called Ezase Afro [Vols. 1 and 2]. Compilations are easier because, obviously, I can just get tracks from people that I’m not even a part of. On an album you have to do all those tracks yourself. You work with different people but, at the end of the day, you must be involved in everything. It took about two years ‘cause I’ve just been constantly working, taking my time to get the right music. I made about 30 tracks, then I shortlisted them to the 17 I’m releasing. There’s no pressure ‘cause I’m doing me… but I know what people expect and I hate to disappoint people.” The Sound, The Evolution “DJ Tira remains that person who you think [you know]: when he should be turning back going the other direction, he’s actually going exactly where you wouldn’t think [he would go]. I try to move with the times, be aware of what’s happening in my community and do as many collaborations as possible. I can see the trends out there and just try to accommodate them—but still have that Durban flavour to it. At the moment we’re reworking our gqom sound, and it’s up to us to make it interesting. That’s why you find on songs like ‘Thank You Mr DJ’, we’re becoming a little more vocal. If you listen to the album you’ll find female vocalists jazzing the sound a little bit. The first gqom track on the album is actually seven tracks in, so I didn’t just focus on making gqom, we threw in some Afrohouse and sweet vocals [as well].” Referencing the Gospel “As you know in the Bible there’s Canaan, a place where you’ll find gold and silver and all those good things. So on the album, I’m leading people to a place where they’re going to have a good time. I’m a jack-of-all-trades and I like to show that in my music. I think it’s nice to do gospel, I love it and work with gospel artists. I tried to put something together that has a gospel flavour (with “Indluzela”). Churchgoers also like to dance, so if we’re able to put that in our music, let’s do that and make sure everyone is happy and enjoys it.” “Uthando” and Positive Vibes “I’m a very positive guy, so I like to make sure there’s nothing negative in my music or in what I do. Duncan and Kwesta are super lyricists, so when I was thinking of putting together a hip-hop song that needs to tell a story, they were definitely first on my list. Just looking at the times, there’s a lot happening right now. There’s a lot of abuse happening to women right now, and to have a song like “Uthando” just shows that we’re also trying to preach the good word. Let’s try to protect women and stop these attacks.”