They are preparing to go perform in Germany when they speak to Drum.
It's been only a couple of years but their rise to fame has been nothing short of astronomical. However, the DJing duo remain grounded as ever.
“We’re looking forward to going to Germany for the first time," says Tarryn Reid, one half of TxC, which she started with Clairise Hefke.
"We’ll be headlining shows all across Europe over their summer period and plan on doing as much as we can on that side.”
TxC duo grew up in Gqeberha. "We stayed in Cape Town for a while and now we’re based in Johannesburg." Being young girls in the Eastern Cape city, they could never have imagined how quickly they would rise to fame – and it's all thanks to amapiano.
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They are the dynamic duo that started DJing during the peak of the pandemic and amid heavy lockdown restrictions.
Two years later, they are living their dreams. What's the secret to their success? For starters, they do not just play the next song, but they entertain patrons by dancing while mixing.
“There’s some thought and preparation that go into each set," says says Tarryn.
"There are many factors to consider before getting on stage, such as the type of crowd we’ll be playing for, the time slot and which other acts are on the particular line-up. These are all factors that are to be considered when preparing for a set.”
Their love for music is inspired by their parents, the DJs share. Growing up, they were exposed to different genres of music – from jazz to soul and classical music. They believe that expanded their taste in music.
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They always wanted to get in the entertainment industry, but they just didn’t know when, where, and how. They then went to a DJ school called Kue DJ Academy, did the first level of their DJ course and they took it from there.
When the pandemic started, they decided to go all-in even though they did not know whether it would work. But they enjoyed themselves doing what they loved and, luckily, it worked.
Clairise says they’ve always been strong believers, so they attribute their success to their spirituality.
"We put all our faith in God with everything we do, so we had faith that God would pull through and open certain doors for us. But God has exceeded our expectations and we’re excited for what’s to come.
As DJs, preparation for them is important and they put a lot of hard work into each set – while hoping that the chemistry with the audience will be the finishing touch to the recipe for a successful live performance.
"Everything that happens on stage happens naturally, and it’s genuinely just us having fun," says Clairise.
They have music out and songs like Too Deep, Elokishini and Sgubh have been topping the charts and played on heavy rotation.
They have been working on an EP titled A Fierce since early last year, they add.
“The title stems from the fact that we’re introducing a fierce sound to our fans and it’s the first time people get to hear the type of sound we’re into,” says Claire.
“We also have our first international feature with Nigerian-based artist Tim Lyre on a track called Mood,” says Tarryn.
"There are many different types of Amapiano, which makes it so relatable. There’s a sound for everyone.”
