BIO
“Blending Afro-Jazz, soul, and more, Mpho Ludidi certainly sings from as pure a heart as they come. With a powerful voice that flows over smooth jazz settings, Ludidi sings to harken back to his Xhosa and Zulu folk roots. Although he moved to Sweden in 2014, he carries forth his tradition...” - RollingStone India
Mpho Ludidi is an Afro-Soul singer-songwriter whose roots lie in South Africa's up-tempo and musically colorful hood, Katlehong, Germiston, Johannesburg, where he was first introduced to soul and jazz music and influences from the tranquil countryside of Matatiele, where he honed his African vocals.
Ludidi's Afro-Soul music reflects the Xhosa and Zulu folk music of South Africa with influences from Afro-Jazz, Gospel, and Soul music. Musicians such as Richard Bona, Lizz Wright, Boby McFerrin, Shaluza Max, Frank McComb, and Bheki Khoza have influenced Mpho's approach and reception to music.
He studied popular music for three years at Central Johannesburg College. Although he majored in guitar, he gained the confidence of the teachers as a background singer, which made him one of the top two students to be picked to travel with one of the leading Afro-Jazz artists in South Africa, the late Gloria Bosman. In South Africa, he worked as a backing vocalist for singer-songwriters such as Dumza Maswana, Nani Dubula, Miranda Ntshangase, and many others.
In 2014, Mpho Ludidi’s life took an unexpected turn when he met and fell in love with a Scandinavian woman, whom he is now married to, and lives with in Sweden.
While living in Blekinge County, Mpho was introduced to Musik i Blekinge and their jazz/world music duo, Unit, who are involved in various music projects. Musik i Blekinge produced Mpho's first released maxi-single, Ithemba, in 2016, a pop/soul CD with a Sting and Richard Bona feel as part of a planned music project.
In 2017 he released his single Izibongo (Praises), a song celebrating the strength and love of South African women in an Afro-jazz style, recorded with a team of South African musicians including bassist and producer Anthony Koopman, Thato Tswai on drums, Peter Masilela on percussion and Gabriel Mawande Stuurman on keyboards.
In the year 2018, he was nominated for the 16th Independent Music Awards, an event held at the Lincon Center in New York, in the R&B/Soul category, with his song Ithemba. The same year, RollingStone India recognized Mpho Ludidi's performance as one of the ten best finds at the Live At Heart festival.
In Sweden, other artists recognize and appreciate his singing voice and excellent songwriting skills. He has therefore enjoyed being featured in various music projects, including Sebastian Stakset's album titled Genom vatten och eld on the song, Son of God year 2018.
In 2019, Mpho released his single, As One; a blend of Afro-soul and pop, reminiscent of the simplicity and seriousness of Tracy Chapman's early music. The recording of As One was an urgent response to the ignorance and violence in South Africa, and with a sincere voice, Mpho Ludidi sings to inspire an atmosphere of love and forgiveness.
In 2021, Mpho released a single, Sijabulile, as part of a school project with Unit and Pernilla Bjelkenbrant. This version of Sijabulile explores a more electronic, Pat Metheny Group-inspired sound. The original version of Sijabulile can be heard on Nani Dubula's EP on Sound Cloud and was written and produced by Mpho Ludidi in South Africa on his first project as a music producer.
