Mpho Ludidi

Time is precious. If we do not perceive and respect it, we are often rejected by the future we hope for. 

Today's problems indicate what needs to be resolved to touch the things to come.

I have faced conflicting voices and images in the past, and I waited patiently for the time I am in now, where I can move freely, sharing my music, knowing that it will be presented the way I first received it. Now, my heart finds grounds to flow freely; I can give without holding back. The call to come to Klubb Mariama was a sign of my new beginnings. There is a time for everything, and I want to encourage you today that in all that you have hoped for and waited patiently for if you stand to the end, you will not be disappointed. Keep going. Know that your hopes may not come in the form that you expect them to, but better.

Now, it is time for you to get your headphones and partake in what we experienced at Klubb Mariama. Be part of my journey and be inspired for your own as you listen here.

Feel free to sign up for my mailing list to be notified when the live video is out on YouTube and more.

On the 4th of June, Unit, Pernilla Belkenbrant, and I will release songs from our collaboration, a project dedicated to South Africa. Since our South African tour with Af Chapmangymnasiet was canceled this year, we were blessed to share the music in a different way than expected. We have recorded beautiful songs where I was also featured by the Af Chapman choir on the song Baba wethu.

Sijabulile, my upcoming release, is an expression of a journey that began when I, Mpho Ludidi was born. I was born into a family of love, yet things did not look the way they were supposed to be. I was separated from my father and lived a life that did not mirror what God designed my life to be, yet God was there to make it possible for me to take paths that would lead me home. He brought people to my path who would guide me in the way of love.

A home is a place that we are designed to look like. Our nature and image; the way that we function; the way that we think and act. If it is a design from God, then it is home. Many people in the world live frustrated lives of hard work that lead to broken homes and disease, some are violent and think that it is natural, but this is not. Nobody was born to be frustrated, dishonest, hungry, misfortunate, and angry. We were all born and designed to function through love, the love that we are. Sijabulile speaks of the teachings from elders who know the truth concerning us. We were born to sing songs of goodness in our hearts, to dance, to jubilate with shouts of joy. 

When we sing the right song, our heart goes in the direction of it, so, go on, sing that song that keeps you home. 

Come home! Home is the place of your best images of a good and peaceful environment of love. 

Sijabulile Crew

Without Pernilla Bjelkenbrant's excellent spirit and love for my music, Sijabulile would not be colorful enough. She brought her whole being to the studio. I remember that she had come directly from a classroom to the studio. She found me singing and began to channel herself to our frequency; even then, I knew that she was already connected. 

Pernilla is one of those people you meet out of a divine appointment, and the only question is, how much time do we have together? I can see that she has her own journey, just as I have my own, and my prayer is that she will follow her heart and touch many people with her music. 

Kristoffer Johansson, on drums, is always in position. I have toured with him as part of the Musik i Blekinge duo, Unit, and his sound stays consistently good; always heartfelt and dedicated to communicating a planned point and finds joy in spontaneous moments. He has his own tone and works best both in the studio and on stage. You cannot mistake Kristoffer's playing for anyone else. I am glad that it was him on this song and project because we have spent a lot of time together on stage and studio. Still, the best times have been on the road when we shared playlists from World Music to Soul, and he has come to know my heart better and better over the years, and so have I his heart and mind. When we are on stage, he can perceive when he needs to give me an extra drive. 

It is usually best if everyone is physically present for a recording and can feed off each other. The bond that Unit and I have made it possible for us to take the song as close as possible to where it wishes to be, even though we recorded it separately on different days due to the state of the world right now. 

Songs are pure, and you need to be in the right mind for you to receive and deliver as close as you can to their nature.  "The right mind" includes the ability to separate yourself from pressures of any sort. I think when it comes to time and place, the recording of Sijabulile managed to break through; by "time," I relate to the way things are in the world right now, and by "place," I mean the song being recorded in Europe where the language is different from when I first received the music. This is a beautiful journey where Niclas, Kristoffer, Pernilla, and I were given a chance by Life to speak together in music. We had to say this at this time since God is releasing His song of comfort to the world and an alignment that takes people from a lie to the truth. Many people think that God is responsible for the way things are in the world, but I have already explained that life was designed to be lived in love and truth; if a lie has popped up, it is not an original plan and is from the lier, but God is truth. Sijabulile was chosen to inspire people to look at the true identity of life, and through faith, escape the panic and find a place of rest; this place is inherent; being designed by the Maker of all. 

Niclas Höglind, the producer and guitarist is a heart and mind so hard to match; so pure and a gift in the music industry. I think that he is a firm foundation for a lot of musicians. We have not come to know his full value in life and music, and that might be because the time has not yet come, but if you look closely at the fabric of many musicians who have had the pleasure to work with him, you can always tell his golden touch. 

I hope that you will enjoy this recording of Sijabulile. It is truly a version of Musik i Blekinge's World/Jazz Duo, Unit on instrumental colors with lots of electronic sounds and heavy drums complementing the spirit of African vocal chants from me and Pernilla Bjelkenbrant. 

I will release links to all the songs on the project on the 4ht of June 2021 on my FaceBook artist page, Mpho Ludidi Music

Sitting and working on my garden in preparation for the idea of hosting home/garden concerts, I find myself with the question, What Are You made of? Such questions go around me all the time, and I usually take a moment to answer them. 

I wonder if you have ever come across this question in your life? To continue to grow, we have a lot of questions to respond to, and the answer to them would be a pathway to our next step in life. When we respond, it is imperative that we are honest and in total surrender in our hearts and be ready to receive from the transaction in the dialog.

I have already answered in my heart, and what about you? I want to share my response with you. The first thing that came to mind was; I am made up of faith, hope, and love. This kind of combination is the type that gets you winning on every side. I have faith that God has given me everything that pertains to life and Godliness; it is within my makeup. With hope, I can endure the tests of time as I walk towards the materialization of all that I have in Christ. And with love, I can keep and maintain everything when it has been realized; to keep a humble heart, share with those who are on their way to their own, and best of all, always remember God and stay in fellowship with Him.

Today I had an exciting and most beautiful day talking and singing for Af Chapman gymnasiet students. It was an online event, and I did it from my home studio. 

I was talking about my life in South Africa as a little boy growing up around music up to the time when I consciously took music as a significant part of my life.

I said many things, but I reflected on it the most when I spoke about owning your story in life. I have always done my best to protect my account and made sure that I live by it; however, at some point, I lost it and had let other people write and tell my story. I always knew that the story told of me was not complete, and it kept me in a small place. In the year 2020, my soul cried to be set free, and I started my giant steps towards freedom, basically to show and tell my own story to people without fear of losing anyone. When you tell your story, some people might not feel comfortable with you, and if they go away, it is good for you. I can tell you that losing the fear of rejection has gained me much more hope and fulfillment in life.

What is your story, and who is telling it? Please make sure to own your account, and if you feel that your story is not helping you, write a new one. We were all born to be happy, but somewhere along the way, the lack of love has robbed us of that good thing, but "The love of God is shared abroad in our hearts" Romans 5:5, and we can always hang on to it as we build up ourselves.

I dedicate this day to my mother, Cynthia Ludidi, who kept me safe from the streets, my Grandmother Peggy Dladla Ludidi who gave me love as a little boy in Matatiele, my Sunday school teacher, Mommy Martha Mhlaba, who taught me the Word of God, and my dear Grandma Liziwe Motjope who gave me my first bible.

There are more people that I am grateful for, like my wife and daughter, who give me so much joy in life, my brother, Khanya Ludidi, for showing me how to be a loving man, showing me that no one deserves to go to bed without food, leading me to a path of love, Tata Obert Mhlaba with whom I visited poor people in my hood to pray for and give words of encouragement; there are even people that I only met for a few minutes, which gave me grace and wisdom to go on in life. However, today I want to put these women on the front line. My heart is filled with so much gratitude as I think of them. I speak power to you, my love. Go on, Zimbokodo zami; hard rocks with tender hearts, my life is laid on you, dear firm foundations from Heaven. Thank you for everything.