Online Reporter
LOS ANGELES. – South African Amapiano DJ duo TxC, Tarryn Reid and Clairise Hefke, made history on Monday night when they won the BET Award 2025 for Best New International Act.
TxC is the first DJ duo ever to be recognised in this category at the American awards show.
The two accepted their award and walked the red carpet at the Peacock Theatre here. Speaking on the red carpet, with their award Reid, called it an honour to be at the awards as a South African and Hefke added that the award was a big deal for dance music as a country
South Africa had four nominations for the 2025 BET Best International Act award: Tyla, Maglera Doe Boy, Dlala Thukzin and the duo TxC.
The other nominees for the Best New International Act award included Abigail Chams (Tanzania), Ajuliacosta (Brazil), Amabbi (Brazil), Dr. Yaro (France), KWN (UK), Merveille (France), Odeal (UK) and Shallipopi (Nigeria).
TxC follows in the footsteps of fellow South African, Limpopo-born artist Makhadzi, last year won the Viewer’s Choice: Best New International Act.
Speaking to IOL, weeks before their Los Angeles departure they shared what the recognition meant to them.
“Being the first duos to be nominated feels like we’re breaking new ground. Not just for ourselves, but for everyone who’s ever felt like they’ve had to fit into a box to succeed. It shows that it is possible, I didn’t think last year that we would be at the BET Awards this year, it’s a surreal feeling.”
Fans have showered the duo, from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape with congratulatory messages from flying the South African flag high.
“To see the growth and how far we’ve come as the first female duo, DJ duos, in Africa to be nominated. It’s a crazy experience,” said Hefke.
The childhood friends have built themselves strong careers as DJs dominating in the amapiano space. They advise that to succeed as a duo things need to be personal before being business.
“We’ve been in each other’s lives for most of our lives, even before becoming what we are today and getting to know each other personally first is what saves what we have today. The goal is always the same, the work ethic is always the same. We all are always on the same page. And with duos, you can’t compete with each other because then that means your goal is not the same.
“As long as you allow yourselves to be your selves and not try to overpower, over be, or overdo. We also tend to keep it very real,” said Reid
“I feel like most duos don’t make it far because, you know, the one starts wanting to be better than the other one. The one feels like they’re getting underpaid or overpaid.
“But if everything is the same and the communication is there within that group, I don’t think anything bad should happen, and I think it should only be growth from there.”
Being public figures also mean you have to put your best fashion forward and TxC are always seen in darring fashion-forward outfits.
One would think that deciding on what to wear for the duo might be tough but they have developed a strategy.
Hefke explains that they sit down and talk about what looks they want to rock and share ideas on how they want to feel and look.
“Because we also don’t want to just look like everyone else. You know, we always try to look different. It also depends on the event or where we would go, and what kind of party it would be. We’d always try and relate our fashion to whatever event we’re attending.”
TxC have released two albums they have worked with international stars such as Davido and have performed in Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and FIFA Fan Festival. They stated that they view pressure positively, explaining that it motivates them to improve and think more ambitiously.
Fans were able to vote for their favourite artist by following and liking their nominee’s post announcement on the BET International Instagram page. – IOL
