BY PHUMZILE NDLOVU
MBABANE– The cold Mbabane night did little to keep deep house lovers away as the iconic 23:28 Lounge transformed into a cosy and intimate setting for a successful edition of Rhythm & Groove held yesterday, Friday, 24 July 2026.
With patrons gathered closely to enjoy soulful sounds and infectious grooves, the chilly weather only added to the warmth and intimacy of the evening.
Presented by NewLife Entertainment, the much-anticipated deep house session brought together music lovers for a night of soulful sounds, quality entertainment and an intimate nightlife experience.
The line-up featured some of Eswatini’s finest selectors, including DJ Cup, Mixmash, Fantacy, DJ Cybos, Keisy and Slotta, who kept the music flowing and created the perfect atmosphere ahead of the headline performance.
The South African headliner, Dustinho, took over the decks at 11pm, taking the crowd on a soulful musical journey with his signature deep house sound. His performance was one of the highlights of the evening, adding to an already energetic atmosphere created by the talented local DJs.
Speaking about the success of the event, DJ Cup (Welcome Zama Maseko) said the night went well, expressing his satisfaction with the turnout and the overall atmosphere.
“It went well. The seats were full, and it was great. It was a cosy session, although it was cold. We are happy with how everything came together, and having Dustinho take over the decks at 11pm was definitely one of the highlights of the night,” said DJ Cup.
Dustinho, whose real name is Tshepang Ntsala, has established himself as one of South Africa’s respected deep house DJs, producers and songwriters. Renowned for his soulful sound and captivating performances, the self-taught artist began DJing at the age of 14 before earning recognition from South African house music pioneer Vinny Da Vinci, who introduced his remixes to wider audiences by featuring them in his sets.
Over the years, Dustinho has built an impressive catalogue of music, releasing projects including For The Time Being EP, Once Every Blue Moon and Keep It Healthy, while collaborating with acclaimed artists such as Chymamusique, Tebza De SouL and Brian Temba.
His appearance at Rhythm & Groove further strengthened the event’s reputation as one of Mbabane’s notable platforms for deep house lovers, bringing together South African star power and Eswatini’s homegrown DJ talent.
For NewLife Entertainment, the success of the latest Rhythm & Groove edition marks another positive step in growing the brand and creating intimate, high-quality music experiences for deep house enthusiasts.
With its cosy atmosphere, carefully curated line-up of local DJs and a headline performance from Dustinho, the latest edition of Rhythm & Groove proved to be a memorable night for music lovers who gathered at 23:28 Lounge to celebrate the sound of deep house.
(Courtesy Pic)
Post Views: 131
