Hailing from East London in the Eastern Cape, DJ Athie and Da Fresh of Umgido have garnered worldwide attention for their unmatched blend of South African melodies and classic electro sound. Together they have become pioneers in a new age Gqom sound, an electronic genre unique to South Africa and characterised by minimal rawness coupled with heavy bass beats. Adding their own unique modern spin to the genre that emerged in the early 2010s thanks to artists such as Rudeboyz and DJ Lag, Umgido have set themselves apart in the industry and attracted collaborations with the likes of Moonchild, Das Kapital, DJ Tira, and more. Combining undeniable talent honed as individual artists, the duo have traversed continents landing official Spotify playlists such as AfroTech Now and a Netflix sync with new TV series ‘JAIVA!’ Since graduating from Cape Town’s Bridges Academy in 2016, DJ Athie has forged uplifting club anthems alongside the expertise of Da Fresh and introduces fresh discoveries as a resident on 5fm’s weekly ‘The House Connect’ show. This year has seen exponential growth for the duo, including dropping single Pressure on their own Umgido Records label, playing two stages at Western Cape’s Rocking The Daisies festival, and co-producing South African superstar, Beyoncé collaborator, and Black Panther soundtrack contributor Busiswa’s SAMA award-winning album Highly Flavoured. The duo are championed by Bridges For Music, a non-profit organisation based in Cape Town that uses the power of music to provide mental health support for young creatives who have encountered traumatic situations at home and in their communities. Providing creative entrepreneurship and well-being programs in addition to opportunities at a world-class recording studio, the program seeks to uplift those from under-served communities. Their recently launched BFM label aims to expand on this mentality by bringing the sounds of Africa to the rest of the world whilst providing a platform for cross-cultural collaboration. Starting off a year