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12 | InTouch SPRING 2026 Since his auspicious start, he has played school discos, the FIFAWomen’s World Cup fan zone in Wellington in 2023 and is a regular at CubaDupa street festival. Not to mention he opened for NZ’s first-ever The Wiggles Sound System Festival in Mount Maunganui. However, playing at the Hurricanes’ home games this year culminating in the final has easily been the highlight so far, Dion says. Harper carefully tailors every set to suit the audience and for stadium performances that means mixing familiar favourites with dance remixes. "I'll try to keep in some songs that people maybe know but I'll get in a couple of mixes of those songs to keep it interesting," he says. Seeing people stop on the way to their seats, smile and dance made it all worthwhile, he says, and “some of them looked quite surprised”. Because Harper is homeschooled, Trish says DJing has been an important way for him to connect with his community. “He’s quite isolated day-to-day, so it's really good he has his DJ events. Lots of people know who he is now." Accessing disability support when Harper was eight has also helped, in particular Individualised Funding (IF). This was put forward as an option by Harper’s NASC (Needs Assessment and Service Coordination) in Wellington, Capital Support. Trish says IF has given the family greater control over how they use their funding, allowing them to arrange supports that suit their circumstances. And it’s managed by Manawanui, the largest and one of the most trusted IF hosts in New Zealand. “IF is vital for us. I pay myself to be Harper’s carer, plus my Mumwho helps out once a week. We’ve bought equipment to support his disability needs as well,” she says. In addition, they get respite funding which Trish has used for a gym membership that enables her to reset and avoid burnout. “It just gives me some time out of the house, somewhere to go for a break.” The family also received a grant from Manawanui’s Fund for Good innovation programme in 2023, which Harper used to upgrade from a second-hand DJ controller (similar to decks) to a more current system. When he’s not performing, Trish says he’s on it every single day practising. While Harper is keen to keep honing his skills as a DJ, his five-year plan also includes learning how to produce music. "That way I can play and mix my own tracks.” He also hopes to collaborate with other artists and sees opportunities to build a career in music in the future. Harper’s already rubbed shoulders with some high- profile names such as Kiwi hip-hop legend King Kapisi, who offered some sage advice about using social media to promote himself – his Instagram handle is @dj_harpz . For Trish, watching her son pursue his ambitions has reinforced what matters most. “It's really just about supporting Harper, and our daughter as well, to follow their dreams,” she says. After all the gigs he’s played, it’s clear Trish and Dion are still DJ Harpz’s biggest fans and, of course, busiest roadies too. “He’s quite isolated day-to-day, so it's really good he has his DJ events. Lots of people know who he is now." HARPER FINDS HIS GROOVE Harper's family are his biggest fans.