10 minutes with local taste makers

Corné Le Roux

Waltzing into the office on the morning of my interview with CRRS (Corra to his “homies”), I download SoundCloud in a frenzy. Although I (vaguely) remember a set he played in a local nightclub, I haven’t actually listened to any of his original music. And at 8:30 on a Friday I find myself testing the springs of an office chair. His sounds are electric and contagious and I cannot sit still.

We meet at The Stellenbosch Market. Although I’m tempted to convince him that the Wine Bar is better suited for a Friday interview, the sight of his school uniform reminds me that he’s merely 17 years old, so we opt for cheesecake – a happy compromise.

Despite being pulled into an industry that has the potential of propelling you into a mirage of mischief and misbehaviour, Corné Le Roux is an absolute sweetheart. But don’t let his grey knee-high socks fool you: he means business.

There has been plenty of opportunity for him to up his set count – which he religiously keeps track of. He’s turned down many gigs simply because he felt he wasn’t being respected as an artist. That, and also the fact that he occasionally has to prioritise schoolwork. I mean, when I was 17 years old I jumped at any given opportunity to make extra money. Which proves that CRRS – finding himself in a space that has yet to take him seriously – has a level of self-respect that radiates and demands attention.

It is this same self-respect that has led him to politely decline some record labels in fear of his artistic identity being compromised. His identity includes a collaborative spirit that is on key with the international industry.

His identity includes a collaborative spirit that is on key with the international industry.

When he’s not locked up in his room mixing the next anthem, you’ll find him in the pool training for the Namibian National Team. Add “disciplined swimmer” to his repertoire. But he didn’t butterfly into beat-mixing. His first tracks were mixed on his dad’s smartphone after being inspired by Skrillex – the thought of which now makes him cringe.

Fast forward a couple of years and the boy-genius has state of the art equipment, which he paid for himself and is snazzy enough to impress his musical idol, Martin Garrix.

His favourite set to date is one that was never supposed to happen: Without a penny in his pocket, Corné hit up one of his many connections to get him VIP access to a festival after-party. Another connection then pulled him up to the DJ box and demanded CRRS take over. With a speed well beyond his usual, Corné propped in the flash drive he just happened to have in his pocket and improvised on the set that would book him a hundred gigs to come. He’s been winging it ever since – testament to the fact that this kid just has a natural knack for turning tables to the crowd’s content.

He’s bound for San Francisco – post-matric, that is – to learn from the best. One thing that strikes me in particular is the fact that unlike his peers, he plans on returning to his homeland to bring back knowledge and expertise and build an industry that has a plethora of potential.

Although he doesn’t eat the crust of his cheesecake, a questionable characteristic, he’s got a flash drive in the pocket of his school trousers and an innate feeling for crowd-pleasing. There really is no stopping CRRS.

Charene Labuschagne