Music and boy bands have become synonymous over time. Each era has its iconic boy bands, from The Jackson 5, One Direction, and Backstreet Boys to BTS and New Kids on the Block. However, South Africa has yet to produce a boy band that hasn’t emerged from a reality show and achieved long-lasting success in the music industry. Until now. The newest boy band ready to take the world by storm is called Dey Sey.
Hailing from Johannesburg, Dey Sey consists of four members: “J,” Dre, Chad, and Elim. Their rise to fame seems straight out of a movie directed by a millennial. After amassing hundreds of thousands of views and gaining 75,000 followers on TikTok with their renditions of classic hits fused with modern sounds, they were all but destined to go viral. They caught the attention of Leanne Manas, who was determined to find out more about the group. Her on-air search introduced many South Africans to Dey Sey when they appeared on Morning Show Live, hosted by Leanne.
Nine months after capturing the hearts of many South Africans, Dey Sey began working tirelessly in the studio to create original music. Their sound and image underwent a transformation as they prepared to introduce themselves as South Africa’s latest boy band. After countless nights in the studio, their newest single, Calling For You, was born. The song combines an upbeat pop hook with rhythmic African music elements—a unique sound that Dey Sey hopes will set them apart from other boy bands worldwide.
J expressed his excitement about the new single: “We’re so proud of the journey we’ve been on. From TikTok to the studio, we’ve poured everything into this single, and we can’t wait for everyone to hear it.”
Elim shared that the latest release is all about growth and reflects how far they’ve come. “‘Calling For You’ is the beginning of something new for us. We’ve grown as artists, and this track really shows who we are.”
As Dey Sey introduces themselves to the broader South African audience and the world, their emergence on the music scene marks a milestone. They are the first South African boy band in over two decades to emerge outside of the reality TV landscape.