Boom bap soul queen Melo B Jones releases highly-anticipated debut EP
JOBURG – 'I'm so excited to be able to share what I do with people, and even in this short space in time, the response has been amazing!', says Melo B Jones.
Boitumelo Mpye, also known as Melo B Jones, has finally released her much-anticipated debut project and has her sights set on making a name for herself in the industry.
The 20-something-year-old singer/songwriter caught the attention of a few prominent producers in South Africa after she appeared on the X Factor back in 2014. She has since then been hard at work crafting her sound and has even taken her talents to Switzerland. Now, as Jozi’s queen of boom bap soul, she is ready to reign supreme in her field.
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“I’ve always been a creative person who was always into the arts. I was an avid dancer and have always been into drama and singing. Music has always had my heart, it is, in a lot of ways, my refuge and light — so I feel blessed to be able to pursue my career in that industry.”
Her delivery in her music is so technical and at the same time, her voice is filled with mellow tones and melodies, much like her name: Melo. It is evident that she has deliberately crafted her vocal tone and cadence to perfection.
“I took music as one of my subject choices until matric, with voice being my practical component. I also took classical music, so a lot of my practicals were very operatic. It was definitely a great experience for me.”
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She said her music is a blend of her childhood musical influences and all that she loves in one. Broken down, her sound encompasses elements of hip-hop, both old school and contemporary—and she adds elements of soul with her sweet and sultry voice. Her EP, The Start”, is a real collaborative piece of art as elements from these genres can be identified in the project.
“I am part of a music collective called AnalogDivision. It consists of two producers, a singer and a rapper. The reason why it is so cool is because we are all based in different parts of the world (Europe, America and Africa). I worked with these two producers on the project and have been working with them over the years. I think that that is pretty special.”
Whether it is headlining a Vilakazi Street NYE festival in Soweto, or the Festival Week-end au bord de l’eau in Sierre, Switzerland, she has proven that her music transcends the local boundaries and that she has an international appeal as an artist.
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“The title explains it all: The Start. I feel as though I have finally started my musical career, on an official basis. I feel like it’s the start of many things to come; the beginning of a brand-new journey. I’m so excited to be able to share what I do with people, and even in this short space in time, the response has been amazing!”
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