From Secunda to the world: my 2026 so far

"## From Secunda to the world: my 2026 so far

Hey everyone, Ethan here. I'm 13 now, and this year has been absolutely insane. From playing in Berlin to opening 947 Joburg Day, I'm still pinching myself that this is my life. [ewn.co](https://www.ewn.co.za/in-pics-thousands-of-joburgers-brave-the-elements-for-an-unforgettable-947-joburg-day/)

## Big stages, bigger lessons At the start of 2026, I told *The Citizen* I was getting ready for a show in Saudi Arabia after playing Ushuaïa Dubai Harbour and Untold in 2025 with guys like David Guetta, Calvin Harris and Martin Garrix. But honestly, some of my favourite moments this year happened closer to home.

In May, I played the Magical Marble Family Fest in Johannesburg. It was such a cool vibe – families, kids dancing, and me sharing the lineup with artists I've listened to for years like Mi Casa and GoodLuck. Then on 7 September, I opened 947 Joburg Day. Standing in front of that crowd, I just kept thinking: ""I started DJing when I was nine. I absolutely love what I do. It's tough balancing school and performing, but it's worth it because this is my passion."" [ewn.co](https://www.ewn.co.za/in-pics-thousands-of-joburgers-brave-the-elements-for-an-unforgettable-947-joburg-day/)

## Berlin was next level

My biggest international moment this year was Rave The Planet in Berlin on 15 August. The whole city turned into one giant rave under the theme ""IMAGINE LOVE"", with floats, music and hundreds of thousands of people from Brandenburg Gate to Großer Stern. After the parade, the party moved to Columbiahalle for the first-ever official afterparty with legends like DJ Rush, Dr. Motte and Nakadia. [trance-family](https://trance-family.com/rave-the-planet-berlin-2026/)

Being there taught me so much. Even if you're not playing back-to-back with the headliners, just being in those rooms shows you how big shows are run, how artists prepare, and how much work goes into every single set. That's the stuff you can't learn anywhere else.

## The music, and what's next

I've released three original tracks so far: ""Losing my Mind"" with Julie Tribler, ""Tell Me"" and ""Serenade"". You can find them on Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud and Amazon Music. I'm working on more music, but school is still my number one priority. My mom, Shareen, always says it's ""not always easy, but having structure and support makes a big difference"", and she's right.

When I'm not DJing, I'm still just a normal 13-year-old: fishing, playing PlayStation, riding my bike and scooter, and doing sports like swimming, rugby, football, basketball and athletics at school. For now, my plan is simple: keep learning from every room I play, from Secunda to Dubai to Berlin and back to Joburg.

Follow me @dj_ethan_english to see where I go next.

Read the full article here - https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/news-headlines/local-news/2026/01/12/secunda-born-youngster-performs-as-dj-on-world-stages/ "

Music isn't just what I play; it's how I talk to the world when words aren't enough

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