The three-year-long drought is almost all but over as the 18th of July inches closer, bringing with it singer-songwriter Mlindo the Vocalist’s third studio album. Aptly titled Uhambo the Journey, the pensive singer is set to extend his catalogue with another opus that promises to add more nuance to the personage that is Lindokuhle Mgedezi while churning out more stories and narratives influenced by his outlook as a proudly emakhaya-bred man to add shading to the continuum of his discography.
This time, however, it won’t just be about heartbreak and the mgowo of mjolo. Expect a bit more, we’re talking music groovy enough to get the lubrication between your joints working.
Mlindo the Vocalist | Credit: @ok_majozi
Nearing his thirties, the Potchefstroom native started off his album rollout with his first single “Inkomo Zika Baba”, a ballad about a man committed to making an honest woman out of his lover to the point of exhausting all his bovine currency just to upgrade her status to that of an honourable makoti.
However, under the auspices of superstar producer, singer-songwriter, and mentor-cum-father figure DJ Maphorisa, what could’ve been a melancholic single turned into an opportunity for Mlindo to explore his musicality by branching out and playing around with his sound palette to innovate something fresh.
“When I made the song, I was in studio with the intention of just making an Afropop song with Phila Dlozi before Phorry came in and asked me to challenge myself more. You know, to do something more upbeat and happier and not lean on the usual style of doing songs about heartbreak. So, when we tried putting it together, it was about finding that groovy vibe while staying faithful to my sound as Mlindo. As the song was coming together, CowBoii just so happened to be in studio that day, and I had always wanted to work with him. We asked him to hop on the song just to give it a bit of a piano feel,” he said.
Listen to “Inkomo Zika Baba”:
With his first two albums – his commercially successful breakthrough LP Emakhaya (2018) and his 2022 sophomore tape named after his first name – Mlindo became one of those unique artists on the circuit who lived up to the hype of his breakout season. Backed by his authentically countryside image and heart-rending soundtracks fitting for the tear-wringing theme of umjolo, the 29-year-old has become an avatar of heartbreak songs and a herald for healing and dealing with the anguish of romantic fallouts.
For his third offering, Mlindo spoke about his evolution and the changes that influenced his approach in shaping the music.
“The growth that people will witness on this album came from various challenges through the years. From the times of lockdown and the country coming back to life, to the challenges I faced as Lindokuhle when it comes to healing from relationships and also rebranding as an artist. It’s been a lot. So, with this one, it’s not just about making the same music that people have come to love Mlindo for. The element is still there and I’m still making music for people emakhaya to resonate with. It’s just that now the music will be a bit more upbeat because I challenged myself. There are mellow and soulful sounds, but there are also songs that will make people move and dance,” he said.
Mlindo the Vocalist | Credit: @ok_majozi
It has been said that music has medicinal properties, healing wounds that are skin deep and reaching crevices unseen opened by pains of the soul and the mind and the spirit. Mlindo touched on the importance of using his music as a means to reach people by being a mouthpiece while allowing his songs to be a form of cathartic release to those who related to its contents.
“I’ve always seen my music as something that heals and brings life to people. So whenever I make music, my aim is for people to get the message. People out there are going through a lot, and not everybody knows how to talk. With this album, what I want to do is heal people hurt from all the problems they’ve had to deal with. Healing is the one thing I’d be happy to see people receiving the most from this album since it’s not easy for everyone to come out and speak about their problems,” Mlindo the Vocalist said.
Mlindo spoke about the stability of afropop as a sound and a staple in the Mzansi music industry.
“I feel like afropop in South Africa is in a very good position. It’s quite an old genre, but it’s still doing wonders even after all these years. You got Sjava doing one-man shows left, right, and center, and I also got started with Mlindo Live sessions last year, which was attended by a crowd of about 5000 people. It’s a style of music that hasn’t been shaken by the arrival of other genres and also the hype of new sounds,” he said.
Mlindo the Vocalist | Credit: @ok_majozi
Mlindo conceded that while he had his methods when it came to retaining his relevancy, there was no one-size-fits-all formula to obtaining success as a musician.
“When it comes to keeping up in the industry and making a success of yourself, I won’t lie to you and say there’s some secret formula. For me, the key has been about staying true to myself and giving it my all. Another thing that has helped me is to not be isolated and to always be open to working with people in the game and going to their studios just to check out their vibes and see how they do things creatively. That also helps with hopping on features, which also serves with knowing what’s popping on the streets,” he said.
Mgedezi expressed a desire to try out his hand with afrohouse in the future, if fate allows.
“A sound that I’d like to explore in the future is that type of house music that’s done by Shimza and Sun El-Musician. That’s one genre that I’d like to do an actual proper album on top of. Even if it’s just an EP,” he said.
