DJ Zinhle

Ntombezinhle Jiyane was born on 30 December 1983 at Dannhauser, KwaZulu-Natal.[3] After leaving Dannhauser, she went to stay in Newcastle, and studied at Siyamukela High School in Emadadeni, Newcastle.[4]

DJ Zinhle started her career around 2004.[5] Initially, she wanted to be a TV presenter and never had any aspirations of being a DJ, until her brother's passion for mixing vinyl's rubbed off on her and her love and passion for being a DJ grew.[6][7] She got her first break as a resident DJ on a youth dance show called Jika Majika that aired on SABC 1.[8]

She worked worked with South African music icon Boom Shaka on the album I Put It In, which featured other notable artists like Dr Malinga, Khanyi Mbau, Mphoza, and many more. She headlined the Sisters with Soul concert along with Amanda Black.[9] Zinhle also headlined the Zimfest 2019 live concert held in Zimbabwe.[10][11] Her 2019 hit song "Umlilo" gained 5.1 million streams in just three months,[12] and reached Multi-platinum status in South Africa.[13][14] and it was also voted as 2019's Song of The Year.[15] DJ Zinhle was chosen as the headline act for the inaugural Red Bull Music Experience in Cape Town.[16]

• SAMA 19 and 12th Metro FM Awards Song of the Year nominee.

• Named one of South Africa's Top 10 most influential women in Bona magazine.[17]

• Named one of 21 Most powerful African women by Oprah magazine.[18]

• Chanel 24 named her as the 4th most powerful celebrity in South Africa.[19]

• Glamour magazine's Woman of the Year.[20]

• Launched the women empowerment TV series It Takes a Village.[21]

• In late 2019, she was named as the Top Female DJ in Africa for the 2nd year in a row.[22][23][24]

• On 7 March 2020, she won the Forbes Woman Africa Entertainer Award.[25][26]

DJ Zinhle was in an on and off relationship with South African rapper AKA, until their split on January 2020.[27][28] She and AKA have a child named Kairo Owethu Forbes.[29]