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Melusi Khumalo

Arts Correspondent
Over the years Melusi Khumalo  has carved his name as a sensational afro-jazz musician who creates a sound soothing to his ardent followers but this time he has gone personal with the release of his fourth studio album titled “Mina”.

“On this album, I was a little bit selfish as I was looking at my life journey that is why I titled this album ‘Mina’ which means me,” said the spiky- haired musician. True to his word, in the song “Village Boy”, the Afro-jazz crooner goes back more than 35 years ago when he was just but a village boy enjoying the benefits that comes with it.

“I wrote the song reminiscing the good old days when I was young in the rural area. I was carefree just like any other kid,” he said. The five-track album is filled with motivational songs laced with the feel good sound of jazz.

“Jazz is different from other genres because one needs to be intimate with the music first, it is not the type of music to fill up the stadium that is why there are few joints in Zimbabwe which plays that kind of music,” he said. Though he has been on the music scene since he was 16 years, Melusi recorded his debut album in 2013. Since then he has never looked back and his music is receiving airplays in countries such as Malawi, Botswana and Uganda.

“My music is doing very well out of the country and it is quite surprising but I think it is because we are trying to do music that lasts for decades and not bubblegum,” he said. In 2015, Mel spent a month touring major radio stations in Botswana after a request by his fans there and to promote his music beyond the country’s borders.