## DJ Melzi eyes Dubai debut after month-long China tour

South African DJ and producer DJ Melzi is taking his sound further around the world, with Dubai next on his schedule after spending nearly a month performing in China.

The musician, whose real name is Tumelo Mphai, recently completed a run of performances in Guangzhou and Shanghai, an experience he says helped him understand how to connect with audiences outside his home country.

Now, he is preparing for a two-week run of performances in Dubai, continuing a period of international growth for the young South African DJ.

DJ Melzi reflects on his China tour

Speaking to TshisaLIVE about the DJ Melzi China tour, the producer described his time in the country as a valuable opportunity to experience a new environment and connect with people through music.

“China was a great experience for me,” he said, explaining that spending a full month there allowed him to understand how different crowds respond to music.

For Melzi, one of the biggest lessons was that DJs cannot expect audiences in every country to react in the same way.

He said performers have to watch the crowd, understand the energy in the room and adjust their approach accordingly.

One venue that particularly stood out for him was Aporro in China, where he enjoyed the experience of sharing his sound with an audience far from South Africa.

The tour also appears to have strengthened his ambition to keep building an international career.

“I am proud of my journey and the opportunities I continue to get to do what I love,” Melzi told TshisaLIVE.

Dubai is next

Melzi is not slowing down after China.

The DJ is preparing for a two-week club run in Dubai, where he hopes to connect with another new audience and continue introducing listeners to South African music.

He sees the Dubai debut as more than another stamp in his passport. Performing in different countries, he explained, allows him to learn about different entertainment cultures, build relationships and create new opportunities.

The producer also wants to make sure that he represents South African music well wherever he performs.

And Dubai will not be the end of the journey.

Melzi says he wants to keep expanding internationally while developing his music and opening doors for himself and the people around him.

African DJs continue to find audiences abroad

DJ Melzi's travels fit into the wider global growth of African dance music.

South African sounds, particularly amapiano, have travelled far beyond their original audiences, helping create international opportunities for DJs, producers and performers.

For African DJs abroad, touring markets such as China and Dubai can offer more than international exposure. Each performance creates an opportunity to introduce new listeners to African sounds while building relationships in markets that may eventually become regular touring destinations.

Melzi's experience also shows how international growth happens one crowd at a time.

A DJ who can adapt to a club in Johannesburg, Guangzhou, Shanghai or Dubai has the chance to turn local success into a much wider career.

Melzi, who broke into South Africa's mainstream music scene in 2019, says he still has bigger ambitions ahead. He is also planning new music around Easter 2027 as he continues developing as both a producer and DJ.

For now, however, the focus is on Dubai.

After spending a month learning how to move crowds in China, DJ Melzi is ready to see how his South African sound travels in another part of the world.