Music in Wales is changing, not quietly, not slowly, and definitely not by accident. Across bedrooms, community spaces, clubs and late-night practice sessions, a new generation of DJs are figuring things out in real time. They’re experimenting with sound, trusting their instincts, and learning how to take up space in an industry that doesn’t always make room for them.
That’s exactly where the KLAT DJ Takeover comes in.
Launched by KLAT Magazine and funded by the Arts Council of Wales, the KLAT DJ Takeover is a mentorship and creative development programme designed to support emerging DJs who have the passion and ideas but may not yet have access to the tools, networks, or confidence to fully step into the scene.
Running from October 2025 to January 2026, the programme brings together six up-and-coming DJs from across Wales for three months of hands-on learning, workshops, one-on-one mentorship, and a live showcase. The programme is about learning how to believe in yourself as a creative, how to refine your sound, and how to imagine a future in music that feels possible.
And the DJs at the heart of this programme? They’re all bringing something completely different to the table.
DJ Wilson Noir: Learning to Trust the Journey
Based in Ogmore by Sea, Wilson Noir is a DJ who thinks deeply about the dancefloor. His sound sits firmly in electronic house music, combining deep grooves with high-energy basslines that are designed to move people, but also to tell a story.
His journey into DJing started early, shaped by nights spent at local raves watching DJs read the room and seamlessly move between tracks. That moment; seeing how a DJ could control energy without saying a word stuck with him. In addition to that, growing up around his family’s record shop, Catapult Records in Cardiff, music became less of a hobby and more of a language.
Joining the KLAT DJ Takeover was about pushing himself further. Wilson wanted to sharpen his technical skills, connect with other DJs, and understand what it really takes to move from local sets to bigger stages, especially as someone still navigating age-related barriers in the scene.
One of the biggest breakthroughs for him has been learning how to beat match confidently by ear, something he credits strongly to mentor support, particularly from Tom (Killer Tom Beat) during this mentorship program. That technical growth has translated into confidence, not just behind the decks, but in how he sees himself as a DJ.
For the showcase on the 31st, Wilson is bringing a solid, dancefloor-focused set, with fresh sounds inspired by time spent listening and digging over Christmas including tracks straight from Ibiza.
DJ YXNG ALEX
If there’s one word that keeps coming up around DJ YXNG ALEX, it’s energy.
Based in Cardiff, YXNG ALEX has been drawn to DJing from a young age. At just 13, he joined a DJ company called TemptasiansDJS, where he learned by watching, listening, and absorbing how experienced DJs moved through music. By 15, he was already playing gigs, including his first show in Bristol, which he remembers smashing.
His style is energetic, crowd-focused, and technically sharp. People tuning into his TikTok Lives regularly comment on his flow, engagement, and ability to keep a set moving. Still, joining the KLAT DJ Takeover opened his eyes to new ways of thinking about the craft, from scratching techniques learned with DJ Killer Tom to workshops that broke down the realities of DJ culture, like the difference between a £50k setup and a £500 one hosted by Osamagbe Izevbigie.
For YXNG ALEX, the programme has boosted both his technical confidence and his belief that he belongs in these spaces. His set on the 31st promises pure vibes, high energy, and genre freedom guided entirely by what the crowd responds to.
What does he want people to say after his set? In his own words: “Yo, that DJ was f**ing fire.”
DJ Sophie Lord
Sophie Lord, based in Cardiff, brings a sound that feels like release. Uplifting, vibrant, and sexy, her DJ style is inspired by beach parties at sunset, the kind of music that makes you forget your worries and stay on the dancefloor just a little longer.
Her path into DJing wasn’t immediate. Sophie spent most of her 20s immersed in nightlife, always drawn to DJs, always dancing, always curating playlists behind the scenes. People encouraged her to learn, but it never felt accessible until it did. After starting her own events company in 2024, meeting new creatives, and gaining confidence, she finally decided to go for it.
The KLAT DJ Takeover came at exactly the right moment. She’d only bought her decks two months earlier and had been teaching herself at home when she applied. Since then, the biggest shift has been learning to trust her sound, even when it doesn’t match what’s usually heard in Cardiff.
With mentor support and plenty of encouragement from Ricardo — Sophie has grown massively in confidence. She’s learned that DJing is all about presence. Her upcoming set will take listeners on a journey, starting smooth and gradually building energy through House, Tech House, Latin sounds, and 90s/00s throwbacks.
Her goal for the showcase is simple, she wants people to leave feeling uplifted.
Ogun
From Newport, Ogun came into the KLAT DJ Takeover with the least DJ experience and that’s exactly what makes his story so special.
A musician with over a decade of experience, Ogun had always loved music, curating playlists, and setting the vibe. DJ’ing felt like a natural next step, but he didn’t know where or how to start. The programme gave him a safe space to learn from scratch, supported by mentors who understood his pace and process.
What’s changed most is his ear. In just a few weeks, he’s developed a deeper understanding of music, rhythm, and structure. His confidence on the decks has grown alongside his technical ability, and his sound has taken shape as something bold, energetic, and unapologetically Black.
Expect Afro Rave, Alte, underground sounds, heavy drums, and movement. For Ogun, representation and access are non-negotiable, music should be for everyone, and the diversity within this programme reflects what authentic inclusion looks like.
DJ Kal
Based in Swansea, DJ Kal is all about giving listeners a fresh perspective on music. His sets combine genres and sounds that challenge mainstream expectations, creating moments that feel both familiar and surprising. With a background in drums and three grades of music theory under his belt, DJing was the natural next step, a way to take his deep understanding and love of music into the mix.
DJ Kal was drawn to the KLAT DJ Takeover because it promised learning, growth, and a chance to push his craft further. Over the course of the programme, he’s honed his ability to organize his crates, sharpened his scratching technique, and gained a newfound understanding of the business and financial aspects of DJing. The programme has boosted DJ Kal’s confidence on the decks and beyond.
For his set, Kal is bringing Afro RnB energy — smooth, layered, and genre-bending designed to expose the crowd to sounds they might not have heard before. He’s focused on crafting a journey rather than a single vibe, showing the versatility of his style and his belief that music is different for everyone.
DJ Samandollar
DJ Samandollar (Samandal Sidig) brings a sound that crosses borders and challenges expectations. Her sets celebrate African and Arab dance cultures, combining Afro House, Arab Pop, kwaito, kuduro, street house, and percussion-heavy rhythms into something playful, joyful, and deeply intentional.
Her journey into DJing started with curiosity — downloading software, experimenting with favourite tracks, and slowly realising that she had something unique to say through sound. Joining the KLAT DJ Takeover gave her the mentorship she needed to trust her instincts and refine her voice.
As a neurodivergent Sudanese female DJ, representation matters deeply to her. She speaks openly about how platforms like this are essential for marginalised creatives whose voices are often overlooked. Her showcase set will introduce audiences to African genres that go far beyond the mainstream — proving there’s always more to explore.
Her hope? That people leave knowing there’s more to African music than afrobeat and amapiano.
The KLAT DJ Takeover is all about access, confidence, and community. It’s about young people being given the time, space, and support to grow without needing to already have everything figured out.
When these DJs step up on the 31st, they will be sharing growth, culture, and the sound of what happens when opportunity meets talent.
Read more about the KLAT DJ Takeover and Wales’ next wave of DJs on KLAT Magazine.
Get tickets to the KLAT DJ Live Showcase
Read more Art and Culture articles from KLATMAG
Written by Angel Joanne Okonkwo
See KLAT DJ Mentorship sessions on KLAT TV
