Blind but brilliant: Young DJ's musical journey begins!

THIS youngster proves that passion and determination can break barriers.

Media personalities and power couple Phumeza Shoba and Mnqobi "Shota" Mdabe's son, Mpilo Shoba, also known as DJ Influence, is making waves.

Diagnosed with stage 4 eye cancer at just 16 months old, Mpilo (11) has embraced a career as an Afro-tech DJ, defying the odds stacked against him.

Recently, he was seen receiving mentorship from international award-winning DJ Black Coffee, a close friend of his dad's, Shota.

Speaking to Daily Sun, Shota recalled how he and Black Coffee identified Mpilo's talent and encouraged his music journey.

"There was this new live-mixing equipment that had cutting-edge technology at the time. Nathi (Black Coffee) said, 'I think you need to buy this for your son.' It was expensive, but he believed Mpilo would master it. We bought it and marked the buttons with tape so he could navigate by touch," said Shota.

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Shota noted that while all his kids love music, Mpilo's dedication stood out.

"When I was in the studio, he would sit with me for hours. His mum often had to fetch him because I'd be so absorbed in work, I'd forget I was with him. He would just sit there, quietly absorbing everything."

Emphasising their unwavering support, Shota clarified that their goal is not to turn Mpilo into a commercial success but inspire other kids.

"As parents, our role is to support our kids. If you know us, you'd know we've succeeded because we stuck together. We're not launching Mpilo as a DJ to make money. We're doing it because he loves music. If, at 15, he decides he doesn't want to continue, we'll still support him," he said.

Shota also revealed that international management teams have already shown interest in booking Mpilo for performances abroad.

"Mpilo is still young. As long as his gigs are during the day, on beaches or at picnics, that's fine. But no late-night events because he's still a kid. The support he receives is incredible, not just from us but also from Black Coffee and industry professionals overseas."