Pretoria's very own KMat, real name Koketso Mathabathe, was one of the headlining DJs at the recent International Music Summit (IMS) in Ibiza.
With hits such as Jobe, Bafuna Mina and MKK under her belt, KMat has described herself as a “chameleon” who has the ability to cross genres when she’s behind the decks, something that was recently witnessed by festival goers in Ibiza.
Speaking to Sowetan, the rising superstar DJ explained that a global presence on the charts is her main focus and exploring new sounds. She also gave us more insight into what took place on her recent trip to Ibiza.
Sowetan: What were the three items you made sure you had to have in your bag?
KMat: I’m such a water baby, so I had to have sunscreen. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t great, and I didn’t get to swim much. I made sure to pack bright outfits for the five days I was there, but the one thing I forgot to take was a jacket, as it got chilly at night.
The last thing was my USBS, I can’t go anywhere without them. I always make sure I have enough music that will allow me to listen and practice before my set.
Sowetan: What did you do on your flight?
KMat: I read a book. I love reading fiction… I love when I’m lied to, but only when it comes to books, of course. Sell me a dream away from my reality… it keeps me sane. I’m currently reading three books, and one of them is Why Men Love B*tches.
Sowetan: What’s the first thing you did when you touched down in Ibiza?
KMat: [Laughs], I got straight to work. I started doing interviews in a conference room situated at the airport. I spoke about the music summit and why I was there... when I got to the hotel, I only had 30 minutes to get ready and meet everyone downstairs for dinner.
Performing in Ibiza was out of this world, so surreal – DJ KMat
"The audience was amazing, some of them had never heard Gqom before. I had so much fun, and to think I was so nervous," says the rising superstar DJ.
Pretoria's very own KMat, real name Koketso Mathabathe, was one of the headlining DJs at the recent International Music Summit (IMS) in Ibiza.
With hits such as Jobe, Bafuna Mina and MKK under her belt, KMat has described herself as a “chameleon” who has the ability to cross genres when she’s behind the decks, something that was recently witnessed by festival goers in Ibiza.
Speaking to Sowetan, the rising superstar DJ explained that a global presence on the charts is her main focus and exploring new sounds. She also gave us more insight into what took place on her recent trip to Ibiza.
Sowetan: What were the three items you made sure you had to have in your bag?
KMat: I’m such a water baby, so I had to have sunscreen. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t great, and I didn’t get to swim much. I made sure to pack bright outfits for the five days I was there, but the one thing I forgot to take was a jacket, as it got chilly at night.
The last thing was my USBS, I can’t go anywhere without them. I always make sure I have enough music that will allow me to listen and practice before my set.
Sowetan: What did you do on your flight?
KMat: I read a book. I love reading fiction… I love when I’m lied to, but only when it comes to books, of course. Sell me a dream away from my reality… it keeps me sane. I’m currently reading three books, and one of them is Why Men Love B*tches.
Sowetan: What’s the first thing you did when you touched down in Ibiza?
KMat: [Laughs], I got straight to work. I started doing interviews in a conference room situated at the airport. I spoke about the music summit and why I was there... when I got to the hotel, I only had 30 minutes to get ready and meet everyone downstairs for dinner.
FACT BOX: KMAT
– She is 26 years old and was born and raised in Soshanguve.
– Her second name is Reabetswe.
– Her mentor, Felo Le Tee, who worked with her on the hit single Jobe, discovered her at Zanzou, a nightclub in Pretoria.
– She obtained a course in DJing from Boston College and looks up to DJ Zinhle.
– DJ Kmat released her debut EP Luminous Flame in 2022.
There was a handyman who worked there, who ended up being my favourite person. He ululated in Spanish for my team and me when we got to the hotel.
He made us feel quite welcome and was pretty helpful the entire time we were there.
Sowetan: What did you enjoy eating the most?
KMat: We ate a lot of different food, but my favourite by far is a dish that had fried rice with shrimp and oysters on the side… pity I forgot the name, but it was so yummy.
Sowetan: What was it like playing for a different market and audience?
KMat: When I found out last year that I was booked to play in Ibiza, I made sure to block out that day. I was so excited to go back because I knew that this time I’d be playing for a different market.
The last time I was there, I was playing for people who were from the UK who listened to amapiano. I was too excited because I knew that this was a market I wanted to play for and establish my name in.
Sowetan: What was the crowd like?
KMat: They were amazing, and to think I was so nervous – I was thinking about my set almost every day before the trip. Yes, I prepared [for when I got on the stage], but I knew I’d want to change the sequence of the songs just to suit the mood of the room. I was also taken aback when I was told that I’d be playing a two-hour set instead of an hour.
I didn’t know what to do, but I remember telling myself to calm down. I got a lot of people stepping up to me that night telling me how great I was... I mean, it took me 15 minutes to move from the DJ booth to my table... all because people kept telling me how awesome my set was.
Sowetan: Of the days you were there, which one would you say was the most memorable?
KMat: Undoubtedly, my performance day. It was amazing, it was out of this world, so surreal. When I played my song MOB, which is slow and doesn’t really have a beat to it, people started to vibe with it. I then followed with more up-tempo songs, which they were jamming to.
I then switched from amapiano to gqom, which I played for an hour. Funny enough, they’ve never heard the genre, but they danced to it. I had white women dancing like crazy.