Born in the humble town of Mount Edgecombe, Naidoo is the son of musical stalwarts, the late Beama Naidoo and Sushiela Naidoo.

In an age where youth are flooded with western influence, it is refreshing and heartening to have Deshan Naidoo, as a beacon of hope, propagating cultural music and instruments.

Born in the humble town of Mount Edgecombe, Naidoo is the son of musical stalwarts, the late Beama Naidoo and Sushiela Naidoo.

He vividly recalls watching his parents perform on stage and being inspired to follow in their footsteps. Drawing his inspiration and passion for music from his parents, he began his musical career at the tender age of three, when he began to learn to play the tabla, under the tutorship of Guru Gopalan and Guru Ashley Kisten.

After the passing of his beloved Guru Gopalan, Naidoo resumed his studies, under tabla maestro, Ashley Kisten. Music and Deshan Naidoo have become inseparable. Under the guidance of his mother, Naidoo recorded his first song, ‘Aum Woru Naalum’ when he was only eight-years-old. Nineteen of his albums are devotional albums and two are Styler Mash-Up albums, which have received immense support from the local communities.

As a performer, Naidoo has had the privilege to perform with great international playback and devotional singers, on their tours to South Africa. His credits include performing a full devotional programme recorded at Jaya TV studios internationally, that was telecast the next day.

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His most prized accolade was in 2018, when he was hosted in Chennai, India, for a Deshan Styler Naidoo Live in Concert event. It was in that moment that he was recognised as an international artist. His dynamic approach to music has earned him the affectionate fan name ‘Styler’.

Naidoo has the rare talent to perform in vernacular as well as western genres. This has resulted in his online fame as a Youtube sensation with over three million views. Naidoo’s love for music extends beyond himself, reaching others.

Combining his strong cultural grounding and his affinity for children, he teaches tabla, vocals and keyboard lessons. His tabla school celebrates their 10th anniversary this year.

Naidoo believes that the future of the Indian culture rests in the hands of the younger generation. He has based his tabla school on the principles and teachings of his own guru, Guru Gopalan.

Naidoo believes that the qualities one learns at his classes, such as discipline, responsibility, respect, focus, obedience and punctuality, start spilling over to all aspects of the pupils’ life. He attributes his own character to his guru and hopes to influence his pupils in the same manner.

Currently, the tabla school has 24 students, ranging from beginners to advanced and across all races and genders. The rigid syllabus is structured around both theoretical and practical components. Naidoo has upheld the core values and teachings of his own guru in his school but has adapted to the changing times using technology.

Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools were closed and social interaction was prohibited, the tabla school persevered without missing a single lesson by implementing the use of video conferencing software. These online tabla classes, have helped pupils to progress in their tabla studies despite the challenging times.

Wearing many hats, as performer, music producer, vocalist, musician, and teacher, Naidoo remains a humble servant of the music world. He believes that all these personas have a common thread, which is his value system.