10 DJs you need to know, curated by HOMECOMING™ (Mixmag)

Africa’s club culture is entering a new phase driven by DJs who aren’t waiting for validation from the global stage and outside of traditional infrastructures. The rise in electronic music in Africa is important because of the influence it has and will continue to have on global dance culture. Sounds that are rooted in tradition, but widely innovative. Indigenous sounds and street-born genres like amapiano, gqom, kuduro and Afro house are being re-imagined through cutting-edge production and fearless creativity. With HOMECOMING™ HI-FI, our electronic music platform, we’re challenging rigid genre labels and championing the next wave of boundary-pushing African talent. We’re seeing a huge shift, whether it’s the raw energy of gqom, the refined depth of Afro house, or bold cross-genre blends rooted in diasporic influences, these artists are defining what the future of global dance music looks and feels like, on their own terms.

Already famous for its world-famous Afrobeats scene, Lagos has a new sound bubbling up — an energy that is loud, fast, and unapologetically electronic. Right in the middle of it all is Aniko who, as HOMECOMING™, we’ve been following for some time. She’s cool and collected, holding court over bacchanals where gqom, Chicago house, and techno blend seamlessly. Aniko is the chief minister at Group Therapy, a bi-monthly electronic rave held across different locations in Lagos, played for Rampa when he was in town and has recently started touring internationally to places such as Amsterdam, Berlin, London & Barcelona. We know that we’re about to see the rise of an incredible force.

There’s so much incredible female talent coming out of Africa right now, especially in this space and Namibia’s Gina Jeanz is one of them. She brings the heat to her sets, comfortably switching between Afrotech, house, and alternative R&B. I love how Gina moves with quiet confidence, the kind that comes from knowing exactly who you are and letting the work speak for itself. A kind of “magnetic aura”, a testament to being raised between Namibia and South Africa. There’s a calm and intentional energy that blends soul, texture, and rhythm in a way that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant. We welcomed Gina Jeanz into the HOMECOMING™ family when she played for us during Amsterdam Dance Event last year, and can’t wait to do more together.

We were lucky enough to bring Coco Em to HOMECOMING™ Festival over Easter weekend to go b2b with Aniko. It was probably one of the funnest sets we’ve had at our club show, HI-FI. There are few African DJs with the single-mindedness of Coco Em. The Kenyan polymath has been dubbed “Nairobi’s hardest hustling DJ”, but the true gift of Em is her vision for a wholly authentic Kenyan music scene that helps spotlight the music being made in the East African country. Along the way, she has played sets for Boiler Room, Ballantine’s and Uganda’s popular underground music festival, Nyege Nyege. Coco Em is not just fierce behind the decks – she’s also a curator, mentor and advocate for creative freedom, often spotlighting underground African sounds and creating platforms for emerging talent. That’s exactly why we champion her — not just for the fire she brings to every set, but for the way she uplifts her scene and creates space for others to rise with her.

If you’re a Mixmag reader, you’ll likely know Sarz already as he graced the cover this time last year. Sarz and Grace have worked together for six years now, but have known each other for much longer. Many might know Sarz as the super-producer who defined a distinct sound in Afrobeats for acts like Wizkid, Asake, Lojay, Niniola, and Tems, to name a few. He’s becoming an important pioneer within the electronic music space in his own right. We see Sarz as the glue that has the ability to connect two worlds together across international, commercial dance music, African electronic music and Afrobeats. We can’t wait for the world to hear his upcoming solo project ‘Protect Sarz At All Costs’ which will be released to the world very soon which includes genre-bending collaborations with the likes of Skrillex, Ayra Starr & Central Cee. The time has come for Sarz to step out of the studio as an internationally-acclaimed producer to step fully into the spotlight as a modern music innovator. The world isn’t ready for what is about to come. Artists that are one-step ahead are always exciting to us.

Zimbabwe’s SHAMISO has a dream to revolutionise the world’s perception of African electronic music. We were introduced to each other properly at the International Music Summit where she played our HI-FI showcase and was involved in some of our curation. What really struck us was how wise and well-articulated she was for a young woman. Great style with substance and the musical skills to take her to a high level. Her DJ sets mirror her vibrant personality, unabashedly rooted in that quest for African authenticity with an intensely rhythmic style that is enjoyable and creative. Her sets revolve around Afrotech and Afro house, whether she’s playing for a sun-drenched crowd at Vaal River Sundays or moving bodies at Spotify’s Greasy Tunes, SHAMISO brings presence, precision, and soul. Recently, she was nominated in the Best New DJ category at the 2025 Beatport Awards. SHAMISO is really one to watch, just at the start of her career but the world should see her coming.

Thuto The Human is one of those rare artists who effortlessly blends innovation with authenticity. His sound is a true reflection of South Africa’s evolving musical landscape. The world might be moving to the pulse of amapiano’s hypnotic chords and grooves, but the pace of the genre is still guided by the deft hands of its resident DJs and producers. Thuto The Human has emerged as one of the most innovative amapiano DJs of the moment, thanks to an encyclopaedic knowledge of the genre and a knack for reinvention that puts unique spins on crowd favourites. Winning the Rémy Producers competition was just the beginning for him, and now, with every track, Thuto is pushing the boundaries of amapiano and bringing it to new global heights. His sound feels fresh, high-energy and unexpected — keeping the audience guessing on the musical journey about to take place. That, for us, makes him one of the most exciting talents coming out of South Africa right now. We’re really looking forward to new music.

We are huge fans of Dope Caesar and have really enjoyed watching her rise. She’s part of the next wave of African women that are reshaping music and nightlife on their own terms, and in a place like Lagos, Nigeria, where nightlife is quite male dominated, she is flipping the switch. Ever since her mix of Brick & Lace’s ‘Love is Wicked’ and Victony’s ‘Soweto’ went viral in 2023, Dope Caesar’s career has been on an incline, and she has established herself as one of Nigeria’s most memorable DJs. She is known for those compositional mixes that serve as a bridge between the past and present, and frequently plays at Obi’s House, one of Nigeria’s biggest weekday parties. She’s not chasing hype, but building an identity that is going to be hugely influential to the entire music scene in Nigeria and that of young females around the world that want to own a dominant space in Afrobeats.

Three words we would use to describe Dare Balogun are authentic, rooted and knowledgeable. And maybe kind of eccentric, in the best way! Part of the power of the Nigerian DJ’s sets is that he is an avid record collector that has stacks of African records from vintage and traditional sounds to more contemporary beats. His unique music style is a dynamic fusion of African rhythms and global electronic influences. With roots in Afrobeat and highlife, his sound incorporates elements of house, techno, and experimental electronic music, creating a unique blend that’s both soulful and forward-thinking. He has an ability to seamlessly weave traditional African sounds with cutting-edge production techniques, offering a rich, immersive experience that feels both familiar and innovative — something that we don’t see as many new young DJs doing at the moment. He’s kind of pushing against the curve. His sets evoke a tender sense of pride and consideration for his African heritage, revealing a curatorial approach that pays homage to the breadth of African music from highlife to soukous and rumba. His happy place is a listening bar but he’s equally confident on a big stage and we’re really proud of him for staying true to who he is.

DESIREE has set the pace for all those to come. Over the space of a decade she’s evolved from a Johannesburg-based DJ into a sought-after international artist. Seemingly emerging from South Africa’s music scene like a bolt of lightning, DESIREE is schooled in the mechanics of house and dance music, earning the respect of Black Coffee who she toured with in 2021. Since then, she’s emerged as a star in her own right, famously playing at Glastonbury in 2024 and making her Coachella debut over the two weekends in 2025. What we find exciting about DESIREE, is this ability to stay completely centralised in opposing scenes and across multiple sounds. She has found a way to maintain her roots, championing the sounds of Africa, while also seamlessly blending techno and deep house into a space that demands her relevance. She has the ability to navigate the cusp between underground cool and huge commercial success and we’re really excited to see where she takes it next. Beyond her musical talents, DESIREE is an advocate for the rights of the queer community and an intersex activist. Her 2023 release, ‘Intersexy’, is a profound expression of her identity, celebrating the beauty of difference through music — something that is hugely important not just in the African music landscape, but an important message worldwide.

Rosey Gold is the kind of artist whose energy speaks louder than words. We say this as we have only met very briefly, but we know that when we do her fierce individuality will shine through. She’s carving out her own space in the music world with a sound that’s undeniably hers, which feels unapologetic, raw and deeply connected to the culture, a space where she is re-writing the rules completely. Perhaps the most important thing to know about Rosey Gold is that she wants you to hear the bass. The London-based, South African DJ plays electrifying sets that honour the dance music of her heritage while tincturing them with global deep house influences. She recently won the Best New DJ at the Beatport Awards 2025 and we couldn’t be more proud of her. Born in exile in Zambia and now gracing some of the world’s biggest stages, this is just the beginning of her journey and we are here for it all.

HOMECOMING™ is a a festival of cultural exchange between Africa and the world, find out more at ourhomecoming.com