Dustinho Shines at Bread 4 Soul, Reinforces Deep House Roots Amid Growing Hype

Renowned deep house maestro Dustinho captivated fans at Johannesburg’s highly anticipated Bread 4 Soul event, delivering a powerful performance that earned him a standing ovation and further solidified his reputation as one of the genre’s most passionate ambassadors.

In an exclusive conversation following the show, Dustinho reflected on the night’s energy, his unwavering commitment to deep house, and what’s next in his musical journey.

Dustinho expressed heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming response from the crowd, emphasizing the depth of connection he felt with the audience. “It’s actually a good feeling to get from a crowd like this… from people who actually appreciate the music and bump the music,” he shared. For him, such reactions validate not just the moment, but his entire musical direction.

Although Johannesburg has recently become a hotspot for amapiano, Dustinho has remained true to deep house. “What made me decide to stick with this is that I started with this. So for me, I’m doing it ’cause I love it, basically. I’m not going where the money is or the whatever… You just have to find your lane and stick to it, man,” he said with conviction.

Dustinho’s latest release, the EP While You Wait, was created in response to growing anticipation among fans. Interestingly, he revealed the tracks featured were ones that didn’t make it onto his forthcoming main project—hinting at the high standard of what’s still to come. In fact, he’s already crafted a longer follow-up project, also titled While You Wait, designed to hold listeners over and create momentum before the official album release.

Dustinho also addressed the playful online rivalry between himself and fellow deep house star Chronical Deep. “What people don’t know… Chronical is my boy, man. Like, he’s my guy. But, you know, as a musician, as an artist, you have to have that competitive thing in you,” he explained, before joking, “Thabo and Tsepang are good friends… almost best friends, hey. But Chronical Deep and Dustinho are enemies.” He believes healthy competition drives artistic excellence and strengthens the genre.

As discussions around the rise of “deep house lite” continue, Dustinho expressed support for the subgenre, highlighting the need for better investment in production quality and marketing. He urged upcoming artists to either invest in these critical areas or align with labels that can help them elevate their sound. For Dustinho, the evolution of deep house depends on how seriously artists take their craft.

Looking ahead, Dustinho remains bullish on the future of the genre. “Every artist’s new release is better than their last release,” he observed, pointing to a rising tide of quality and creativity. With more large-scale events like Bread 4 Soul on the horizon and a wave of emerging talent, he believes deep house is poised for a bright, expansive future.

His message to aspiring artists is both empowering and encouraging: “If it sounds good to you, chances are it’s gonna sound good to 10 other people. So just release your stuff and see what happens.”