South African DJ Shimza has officially ticked off a major milestone in his music career performing at Tomorrowland in Belgium, despite a massive fire just days before that threatened to derail his dream.
Shimza was scheduled to perform on Friday at the iconic electronic music festival. But just two days earlier, tragedy struck when the festival’s main stage, the Orbyz stage, was gutted by fire during final preparations. No injuries were reported.
Fans and followers were left in suspense as reports emerged suggesting that Shimza’s slot could be at risk due to the uncertainty around the stage rebuild and rescheduling.
Speaking to TshisaLIVE ahead of the festival, insiders expressed concern that the fire might result in performance cancellations or reshuffles. Shimza himself had not publicly confirmed whether his set would go ahead, fuelling anxiety among Mzansi supporters who have championed his global rise.
However, organisers pulled off what seemed impossible, rebuilding a brand-new stage in just 48 hours. The replacement set-up was described as more intimate but fully equipped to deliver the high-energy, hi-tech spectacle Tomorrowland is known for. The festival gates opened as planned on Friday, with DJs Odymel, Pegassi and Nervo kicking off the revamped show.
While full line-up changes were not disclosed, TshisaLIVE can confirm that DJ Shimza did hit the decks and delivered a performance that marked his Tomorrowland debut — a moment he had described in past interviews as a “lifelong dream”.
Fans on social media were quick to celebrate, with messages pouring in under the hashtag #ShimzaAtTomorrowland, applauding the DJ for staying the course despite the uncertainty.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.