BEING THE LIFE, SOUL AND SOUNDTRACK OF THE PARTY LEADS DJ PHOLA GUMEDE INTO HOSTING EVENTS

DJ and Capitec client, Phola Gumede, spins success on the decks into a hit career in Afro-chic events.

Media can be a world of fleeting thoughts, sounds and images. For DJ Phola Gumede, it’s a chance to influence people who’ve never met with something that endures. 

Phola believes that in order to stand the test of time you need to re-invent yourself constantly, “So that it seems very fresh in you and so that it’s also very authentic to myself and to my journey.” 

Known for her soulful music infused with old skool, RnB and HipHop sounds, we seized the opportunity to hit the streets of Jozi with her to browse the second hand vinyl shops.

It was the perfect setting to discover more about her while discovering artists and albums which have only grown better through the decades.

“The music I play is old skool, RnB, HipHop and Jazz. That music is so beautifully crafted and so beautifully made that, until this day, it still resonates with people.” 

In an era of streaming bytes and gigs, she chooses LPs and turntables.

“Vinyl is quite popular in the modern world. I feel like a lot of old skool ways of doing things are coming back. Vinyl is one of them. Film photography is coming back in a major way so I think we’re all leading back to the analogue way of life which is really, really great because things are so fast paced. I think it’s nice to dial back and get in tune with the classic way of doing things,” she says.

Spending the morning with her, we quickly realise she’s not only acutely tuned into different eras of music, but design, culture and thinking too. It’s a valuable range of skill sets that serve her events business. 

Phola, along with friends Qhawekazi Luthuli and Lungi Molefe founded Homie.Lover.Friend during lockdown and have seen it grow in leaps and bounds with every creative space they’ve curated in their quest to ‘liberate and release.’

Central to their events functioning is not worrying about banking and wherever a gig is going down, Phola knows she’s got everything in-hand.

The she-boss made use of Capitec’s super easy remote onboarding service to open an account and had the card delivered to her door without stepping inside a branch.

It was a simple 4-step process that had her download the Capitec app, take a selfie, enter her SA ID number and Capitec closed the loop by delivering the card.

As someone who wears many hats, efficiency and convenience is everything, so it’s no surprise that Phola loves how the bank has incorporated the latest technologies into their service offering. 

“One of my favourite features of the Capitec app is Scan to Pay, because when I’m trying to pay a bill at a restaurant or a retailer, it’s as easy as scanning with my phone and then I’ve paid. Another favourite is Pay Me because when I’m with my friends, and we’re trying to split a bill, they just pay me instantly.”

There’s no need to have a bank card with you or even take out a wallet, and by letting technology work for her, Phola can focus on the friendship and the heart of the business.

“What’s important to me is love. I’m driven by it and without it I don’t think I’d exist to be honest. So, my driving force is love. I always operate from a place of love, and I try to give everything that I do with love.”

Love seems to be the secret to Phola Gumede standing the test of time as it has not only served her well in her business and friendships, but in her music too. 

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Tell us which musicians or DJs have stood the test of time for you, for a chance to win R1000. To enter, simply reply to the competition post on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram profile. The competition closes Sunday 1 May 2022 and Ts&Cs apply.

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