Celebrating twenty years of DJ Zinhle is a dream she never thought could be realized. Not because she didn’t believe in herself, but because when the dream you cannot articulate is planted in your heart as a young girl, you never know how it will come to fruition.
Today, the multidimensional mogul has achieved the unimaginable and dubs this part of her chapter Bossing Up, as she ushers in a season of celebrating this milestone – and will share this in the form of season four of her reality TV show in July, staging a lifestyle and music festival and also stepping up on business ventures.
Twenty years of DJ ZInhle is a chance for the star to be unapologetic about her achievements, bask in the success, and pat herself on the back for a change.
“I think this 20-year celebration is forcing me to really acknowledge my achievements. So while we were exploring names for this particular season, we were looking to find something meaningful and suitable for what is happening in my life right now. I think with 20-years of DJ Zinhle and celebrating such a milestone, a lot of things that we are doing now are about bossing up. They are about the kind of woman that I actually fought so hard to become. A boss, a mom, a wife, a career woman, a friend, and someone who is in control of her life,” among other things, she said.
And while 20-years of any achievement is a clear sign of triumph, DJ Zinhle, real name Zinhle Jiyane, admits that coming to terms with her greatness and mustering the guts to acknowledge the power her brand truly has—without coming across as arrogant—has been a struggle for her. Sort of like being stuck in a state of imposter syndrome, despite external evidence of her competence.
“I just struggled accepting my influence and my achievements,” she said, ruminating. “I don’t even know where this feeling comes from. Maybe I have always felt like a fluke, but it was only recently when I started reading the book titled ‘The Diary of a CEO’ did I recognize what I have (capabilities) that have built me to the place I find myself in now.”
The book covers the five buckets that determine your human potential, which are: knowledge, resources, reputation, networks, and skills.
DJ Zinhle shares that she has never been the type to really celebrate herself. The constant thoughts of not being deserving have always found a way to eat at her.
She shares that she is still building herself up, with some days feeling liberated and some days not.
“And I think it’s okay because I am human. There are days when I don’t want to be strong while on some I feel like I have figured out ways around my challenges. But the important thing is to just keep going.
“That moment that I realized that a lot of the things I have been doing in the last 20 years—to keep myself relevant or to run my businesses—are all made possible because of the capabilities that I have acquired over time, I felt liberated. To think of how much I have been underestimating this very big part of myself for such a long time and now recognizing this part of me has allowed me to start taking myself more seriously. I am finally admitting that ‘maybe I am NOT a fluke. I have worked hard to be where I am.’” Fighting the inner demons that want to convince her otherwise.
“Looking back at the journey, it’s been such a crazy life, more than anything I would have expected from a girl like me who comes from Dannhauser (KwaZulu-Natal). I would have never dreamt this big. I would have never imagined myself as someone so influential, touching so many lives, and doing so much work with so many people. I would have never imagined having so many people connected to my line of work and that all the decisions I make affect that long line of people,” she said.
Being able to occupy a position where people are totally sold out to the dream, supporting the vision relentlessly, still leaves her speechless to this day.
BUT on the contrary, as someone who suffered with imposter syndrome for so long, DJ Zinhle shares that she had no plan B. The entertainment industry HAD to work out.
“I am the type that puts all her eggs in one basket,” she said, laughing. “There was no exit plan. I had put all my eggs in the entertainment basket, I won’t lie, and that was scary most of the time. And because of that, I knew that I needed to diversify, although a lot of my businesses still rely on the entertainment influence.
“But with this big leap of faith, all eggs in one basket, I just had to trust my ancestors and God that they have not led me to this place only to drop me. Faith has become such a big part of me because to do the things that we do as a team and as a family, one needs to rely heavily on a higher power. Relying on my own wisdom and courage has not taken me far,” she said.
Having a teachable spirit, a curious mind, and understanding that there is no overnight success within this industry are also key in making it.
“People might look at me now and not consider that these 20 years have been accumulated one day at a time, one step at a time, one effort at a time. It takes pacing oneself, understanding the power of effort and hard work, and learning something new every day. If I could teach my kids anything, it would be to look inward and recognize what it is they are doing for themselves.
“Bongani and I have a value in our lives that we dub as ‘no distractions’. As soon as something feels like it is taking you away from your goal, move it. It could be people—friends or family—or just anything that takes you off the vision; it needs to be moved,” she said.
The legacy has also evolved, especially with her children in the picture. More than anything, she hopes to leave a legacy of love.
“I’m actually grateful to God that I have girls because if it were boys, I wouldn’t know what to do,” she said in jest.
“I want my girls to grow up with the understanding that they can do anything that they want to do. I recently learnt something that you can have everything but not all at once, that points to the lesson of pacing yourself. One of my biggest values is ease, that’s why even with my blended family – I am always trying to find ease and never make things complicated for no reason. And that is what I want to teach my children, ease but also in contrast, one of my other values is effort. Where’s effort, there’s results.
Season four will see old faces return, while she hopes her upcoming festival on Woman’s Day becomes a safe space for all attendees to be authentically themselves while having fun.
“I want people to come out with their best friends and celebrate something, anything. Think African Coachella, dress up as bold and crazy as you want without feeling condemned.
“I hope everyone celebrates themselves wherever they are. Beat the outside noise and celebrate you,” she said.