Youngduragg (15) to showcase his musical talent in Atlanta
Fifteen-year-old music producer Youngduragg has been presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase his talents in Atlanta, Georgia. The Thokoza resident, whose real name is Enhle Khumalo, has received an invitation from SoundGallery Studios for collaborative music production from December 19 to 26.
“This is a life-changing opportunity that means the absolute world to me! It will elevate my career to the next level, and I will have the opportunity to meet more faces that have inspired me to become who I am,” says Youngduragg.
Regarding how this opportunity came about, he shares, “It’s been years since I made connections in Atlanta just by networking on Instagram and collaborating with people from around the world. One of the producers I work with organised a producer camp, where artists and producers will gather in the studio to create music. Since he collaborates with many major artists from the US, this will help me secure placements in the US and build more connections for my future visits.”
However, to seize this chance, Youngduragg needs financial support to cover his travel costs, accommodation, and food.
He started making beats at the age of 12, describing his early attempts as “sounding like absolute garbage.” However, he fell in love with the process, saying, “As time went on, I moved on to FL Studio Mobile, and after watching more and more tutorials, I advanced to FL Studio 20 on PC.”
Hip-hop plays a major role in his life, and he draws inspiration from artists like Lil Baby and Drake. “I’ve been fortunate to meet or have meaningful conversations and make music with artists I used to listen to in South Africa, such as Nasty C and Blxckie,” says Youngduragg.
Recently, he co-produced a track titled “HIM” by Kiddo CSA and Lucasraps. Recounting the experience, he says, “It’s crazy because this song was so unexpected. One morning, my big brother/mentor Notbenjamin asked me to create a melody so he could add drums. I made the melody in about three minutes, then he added the drums and constructed the whole beat in about four minutes.”
“Later that day, Kiddo called Benji for a session, and when we got there, Lucasraps, Kindlynxsh, and Christer were in the room. Not even two minutes after they heard the beat, Kiddo CSA said, ‘Can I hop on this one?’ Benji was like, ‘100%,’ while I was sitting on the couch quietly because no one knew me like that at the time. Kiddo then recorded the song in less than 25 minutes, and Lucasraps recorded his verse in about five minutes, one take while he was waiting for his Uber. After recording load-shedding hits, there was no generator; now if that’s not the best studio session, I don’t know what is.”
Looking ahead, in the next five years, Youngduragg aims to receive accolades for his songs and collaborate with Lil Baby. He emphasizes that working with other artists is a great way to form new relationships, stating, “It helps immensely as new relationships are built, and more opportunities are created. Some people I work with have direct contact with the artists I dream of collaborating with. Opening yourself up to collaborations makes it easier for your work to be heard by a wider audience.”
His advice to aspiring producers is to keep grinding and not focus solely on the money, “It will eventually come, stay consistent with what you do and remember why you started!”
To contribute, here are Youngduragg’s banking details: Capitec 167 292 7690. For inquiries, he is available for contact at 073 461 7643.
