In this interview, one of Nigeria’s fast-rising DJs, DJ GABE, spoke on the changing face of Nigeria’s wedding industry, music production, international engagements and his next creative chapter.

DJ GABE, you’ve been in the entertainment and event industry for quite some time. Where are you at in your career today?

I’m at a very interesting point in my career. I’ve spent many years developing myself as a DJ, music producer and entertainment professional, and I’ve had the opportunity to work across different sides of the industry.
Today, I don’t see myself simply as somebody who plays music at events. I’m a music producer, DJ, broadcaster and someone who has spent years understanding live entertainment from both the creative and technical sides.
I think I’m now at the stage where I’m bringing all those experiences together and deciding what the next chapter should look like.

You’ve become closely associated with weddings and private events. How has that side of the industry changed?
The wedding industry has changed tremendously.

When I started, the DJ’s primary responsibility was essentially to provide music and keep people dancing. Today, the expectations are much higher.
Clients are thinking about the entire experience — sound, lighting, screens, special effects, live performances, MCs, music programming and even how the event will look on social media. Technology has completely changed people’s expectations.

A couple can see an event happening in London, Dubai or Lagos on Instagram today and decide that they want to create something similar in Abuja or Kaduna.
That has forced professionals to become better.

What do Nigerian couples expect from a DJ today?

They expect much more than someone who can mix songs.
They expect someone who understands the programme, understands the audience and knows how to build the energy of the event.
A wedding can have different generations, different musical tastes and different cultural expectations in the same room.
You might move from an old-school Nigerian song to Afrobeats, Amapiano, R&B, Hip-Hop or international music within minutes.
The DJ has to understand the room.
That’s part of the art.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve observed in the wedding and event industry?

Professionalism and consistency.
There are incredibly talented people in this industry, but sometimes the industry is still treated too casually.
An event is a chain. The planner, DJ, sound company, lighting company, photographer, decorator and other vendors all have to work together.
If one person fails to communicate properly, it can affect the entire experience.
Another issue is price.
Clients sometimes compare vendors only by price without understanding that there are differences in equipment, preparation, technical expertise and experience.
We need to continue educating clients about what professional event production actually involves.

Has working internationally influenced the way you approach events in Nigeria?

Definitely.
I’ve had opportunities to work around weddings and private events in different international environments, including the UK, United States and Europe.
Every environment teaches you something.
You see different approaches to timing, preparation, audience management and technical execution.
But I’ve also realised that Nigerian entertainment has something unique.
Our energy is difficult to replicate.
So I don’t think the answer is to copy international events. It’s about taking the best lessons from different environments and combining them with our own culture and creativity.

You have also been involved in the technical side of events through Da Musik Lab Entertainment. How did that happen?

It happened gradually.
DML started from music and DJ services, but as the events became bigger, clients needed more.
We moved into professional sound reinforcement, then lighting, LED screens, special effects and broader technical event production.
That evolution taught me that being a good DJ is only one part of delivering a successful event.
You have to understand what happens before you get on stage and what happens after you leave.

What has running and working with an event-production team taught you about leadership?

It has taught me that you cannot do everything yourself.
When you’re handling a large event, everybody has a responsibility.
The sound engineer has his job. The lighting engineer has his job. The power and technical people have their responsibilities. The DJ has to concentrate on the musical experience.
My job is also to make sure everyone understands the standard we’re trying to achieve.
The client shouldn’t have to know about all the problems happening behind the scenes.

You’ve been producing music since 2003, yet much of the public knows you primarily as DJ GABE. Why?

DJing became the most visible part of my career because that’s what people see.
But production has always been there.
I started producing music in 2003, and over the years I’ve built up quite a lot of material.
I also produced three songs for a project called GES — GABE, EMMA & STONE.
Those recordings weren’t commercially released at the time, but they are part of my history as a producer.
Now I’m looking at that side of my career again.
THISDAY: Does that mean people should expect new music from DJ GABE?

Yes, that’s definitely part of the plan.
I have older material that I’m revisiting, and I’m also interested in creating new music that reflects where I am today.
But I don’t want to release music simply because I feel I need to prove that I’m a recording artist.
The music has to make sense.
I want people to hear the producer behind the DJ.

In 2024, you also became a resident DJ on Radio Jusmen. What has radio added to your career?

Radio has been a very different experience.
At an event, you can immediately see the audience. You know when something is working.
Radio teaches you another kind of communication.
You have to connect with people through your voice, your music choices and your programming.
It has also helped me stay connected to what people are listening to and how audiences respond to music.

Do you think being a DJ today requires more than musical ability?

Absolutely.
You need business knowledge. You need to understand technology. You need to understand branding and social media.
You also need people skills.
You can be the best DJ technically, but if you don’t know how to work with clients, planners and other vendors, you will struggle.
The industry has become much more professional and competitive.

You’ve performed at weddings and private events in Nigeria and internationally. What has been the most rewarding part?

Seeing the reaction of people when everything comes together.
Sometimes it’s not even about the biggest event.
It could be a moment where you play a song and suddenly everybody connects with it.
That’s what keeps me interested.
Music creates memories.
You might not remember every detail of a wedding years later, but you can hear a particular song and immediately remember the night.
That’s powerful.

THE NEXT CHAPTER

So what is 2026 about for DJ GABE?

2026 is about expansion.
I want to deepen my work as a music producer and recording artist while continuing my work as a DJ and broadcaster.
I’m also interested in more international collaborations and opportunities to take my creative work to wider audiences.

At the same time, I want DML to continue growing as a professional event-production company.
So I’m looking at both sides — the artist and the business.