Songstress and songwriter Melo B Jones has released her much anticipated debut extended play record (EP) titled The Start. She chats to us about her offering.
1. My stage name, Melo B Jones, comes from my birth name Boitumelo Mpye. Melo is derived from my first name, which echoes the mellow tones and melodies found in my music while B is my personal sign off and initial. By definition, Jones is a fixation with something or someone, and it represents my addiction to music.
2. My biggest music influence comes from my childhood. Growing up, I was surrounded by a lot of jazz, soul music and the 90s hip-hop beats. All these musical genres contribute to my sound, which I call boom bap soul. I describe myself as a soul singer who is influenced by hip-hop beats, melodies and drums.
3. I create soul music that appeals to the nostalgia of old-school hip-hop. My music is sweet and sultry with elements of soul. However, my body of work expands from soul to house and R&B music as I’m vocally diverse. My voice appeals to different crowds, and my sound has a local and international feel.
4. I’m excited about the release of my EP. This musical offering can firmly stand as a representative of where contemporary soul music is headed in our country. My favourite track is titled C&L – it stands for champagne and love songs. It is fresh and has a sexy appeal that I think people will love. Other phenomenal tracks include Another Level and Perfect Girl.
5. I just want to sing and create more music. I’m working on my album, but I’m in no rush because I want to use the feedback I get from my EP to develop my music. I would also like to sing on local and international arenas.