‘I’m finally doing me and I have a sound that is nobody else’s’ , singer Mpho
Mpho Skeef (c) Stoked PR
ILuvLive has fast become a reservoir for London’s live music junkies and its return this month at Shoreditch’s finest, Cargo, came as no exception. Hosted by 1Xtra’s Ras Kwame and Twin B, ILuvLive did its usual to showcase the best UK urban talent, staging the likes of self- proclaimed UK’s best rapper, Sway, alongside up and coming acts Ghetts, Ava Leigh and Charlie Brown. But even as bongo drums were in full swing thanks to Crazy Cousinz, it was Brixton’s very own Mpho who brought a unique and memorable sound to the set. Mpho (pronounced Mm –fow, and meaning ‘gift’), talks to Catch A Vibe about how being a black, pop singing South African native isn’t as unusual as it may sound.
Catch a Vibe: What type of music did you grow up listening to?
Mpho: Everything really, from random jazz to Sun Ra, to John Coltrane, to Prince, and as I got older I started making my own choices and listening to a lot of hip hop and electro pop. I also started going to bashment raves, even though at the time, I was too young to go.
CAV: How did your music career start?
Mpho: I have been listening to music all my life by default really, due to my upbringing and up until now I had always worked on other people’s records. But now I’m finally doing me and I have a sound that is nobody else’s.
CAV: How hard has it been trying to develop your own sound?
Mpho: There’s a typical thing, I’m a Black girl living in London, therefore I should be doing “urban” music or sing r&b, shake my booty or whatever…. But I have always refused to limit myself and just had faith in what I was doing.
CAV: Could you describe your sound and tell us how living in Brixton has influenced your music?
Mpho: It’s good songs over good music… I always struggle to define my music. If I were to say to you that I do pop music, you probably wouldn’t know until you’d have listened to it. You might have your preconception of pop, because pop could be Girls Aloud or Coldplay….
As for living in Brixton, when you walk past Red Records or Blacker Dread, what to do you hear?… I mean you can’t escape from the Jamaican influences and those never leave you.
CAV: How has your South African heritage influenced your music?
Mpho: I don’t think that being born in South Africa has influenced me in the way you would necessarily believe, like “yeah she’s from South Africa because she sounds like this” but in saying that I do love ‘tribal skank’ (laughs). But I am innately African when you get to know me, and in some the rhythms I use, but I don’t feel I have to go out of my way to make a statement about where I come from.
CAV: You did a song called Holla a few years back with producer Baby J, how did that opportunity come about?
Mpho: Holla really was a track that I did for a producer and a lot of the music I have done in the past have been for a specific producer for a specific song, and because of my musical background and how varied it is, I can kind work with any producer, whether hip hop, broken-beat or pop. But that’s not necessarily what I do: what I do is bring all those things together. That’s what my mixtape, the Art of Pop, is all about.
CAV: Tell us about your album?
Mpho: My album Pop Art is finally finished and will be released in June. The single Box and Locks should be out in May, if all goes according to plan.
CAV: What can we expect from Mpho in the future?
Mpho: I am going on tour with Mr Hudson in May and I’m excited about his album. I would love to work with Pharrell and Chad from the Neptunes. And maybe do some fashion, like high end fashion children’s clothes. The sky’s the limit; I just want to be creative!
With a major record deal offer looming, I’m sure the world will be hearing a lot more of Mpho’s creativity.
