Blindness no deterrent for SA's Got Talent DJ hopeful

Being blind has not stopped a Johannesburg man from spinning decks and creating music.

Television viewers will be amazed when DJ Darkness‚ Calvin Botha‚ who has no sight in both eyes‚ shows off his talent on national television when he takes to the stage on e.tv’s talent search show SA’s Got Talent.

Botha‚ from Randburg‚ together with vocalist Zak Volschenk will feature on the show next Sunday.

The 8th season of SA's Got Talent airs on Sunday night at 6.05pm where people from around the country deliver impressive performances before judges DJ Fresh‚ Shado Twala and Jamie Bartlett.

Botha said he met Volschenk not too long ago and they started working on their first album titled 1986 which releases in a month.

“We decided to take the opportunity to appear on SA’s Got Talent as a way to get out there as a duo. We are a unique act‚ a white rapper and a blind DJ and producer‚” said Botha.

Botha said he started singing at a young child and began playing the piano at the age of 10.

“It’s been a long and exciting journey. Some years ago I got into music production because I write music and I wanted to be able to put it all together‚” said Botha.

Botha said he has text to speech software which allows him to hear what is on the screen.

“Everything runs off a computer‚ but I use the turn table to control music off the computer. It’s all a digital set-up.”

Botha‚ a quintuplet‚ has been blind since birth‚ when he and his siblings were born at 29 weeks. His one brother and sister are each totally blind in one eye‚ but able to see with the other. Botha said their blindness was caused by too much oxygen in the incubator.

Botha attended Prinshof School in Pretoria‚ for blind or partially-sighted people‚ where he learnt music.

“I would like to show the world that anything is possible if you really want to be it. You got to work and face the odds‚ as long as you try your best and love what you do. I have always wanted to be a musician and deejay‚” said Botha.

He said when people hire him to deejay their event he does not always mention that he is blind.

“I recently arrived at an event and was asked if I am okay. Some people find pity‚ which is frustrating‚ while others are in awe. The responses vary‚” said Botha.