Rising South African DJ and producer Baby Whitz is carving out a space in the global deep house movement, blending warm basslines, soulful chords, and emotionally charged vocals. “Deep house is emotional and spiritual — it connects with you,” she says. “I’ve never understood why people don’t describe deep house as ‘sexy’, because that’s exactly how it makes me feel.”
Born and bred in Johannesburg, Baby Whitz credits the city’s rich, ever-evolving music scene for shaping her sound. Growing up in a home filled with blues, R&B, and house, music became part of her DNA early on. As she got older, she immersed herself in every layer of local nightlife, from historic underground sanctuaries like And Club to sprawling festivals like Oppikoppi and Rocking The Daisies.
The turning point came during her first night at Newtown’s iconic Third Place. “I’d never heard house and techno played like that before. I didn’t even know what CDJs were, but watching the DJ and feeling the room move… it blew my mind.” That experience sparked a sense of purpose; she knew she wanted to create that feeling herself.
Today, she’s doing just that, performing standout gigs at Kunye, Corona Sunsets Festival, PANGEA in the Karoo, and opening for Keinemusik and Kaytranda in Johannesburg — milestones fuelled by the energy and inspiration she first found in the heart of Jo’burg dancefloors. GEORGINA GILLSON
