Mjelo's music vibrates with life

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Tshivhandekano Ndivhuwo, known as Mjelo in the music industry, is one rare artist whose voice and subject matter complement each other in such a way that people are rarely untouched by his music.

A resident at Gondeni Sterkstroom village outside Thohoyandou, Mjelo is a reggae and dancehall musician. The musical journey started at an early age for this artist, when he was still at primary level, where he used to sing with his friends imitating other well-known artists.

As a boy, he sang in the Thase Secondary School’s choir, which had turned out to be the most successful choir after winning multiple awards in a period of two years. “The two years’ journey with the school choir played a very significant role in my musical career, since it was like a promotion from amateur level,” he said.

Later in his life, Mjelo formed a music group DJ Masite and Gondeni Boys with his friends, which became famous around Vhembe District for hit tracks such as Ndi khou dala and Kha mmbudze ri vha ngana.

At one stage Mjelo relocated to Pretoria for academic purposes and that was where he recorded his first album, entitled New Creature. “The project really portrayed me as a very gifted artist in the music industry,” he said. “In 2016, I changed genres from gospel to Afro-Pop and RnB when I released my popular album entitled Let’s carry on, which contained two hit tracks, namely Jealousy and Let’s carry (ft Mr Rhymes).”

Mjelo is delighted that his vision as a musician is becoming a reality since he is a rising star on an international platform. People from Europe recently supported him after he had released his hit track Nyimele. “I even won a space for interview with the Glowing Immigrants with Chantallee Dunbar from the USA,” he said.

For Mjelo, music can be a mouthpiece for the underprivileged and a weapon to fight against inequality. “In other words, it is the most effective medium of communication that can bring about a rapid change for the betterment of humanity,” he said. “Lastly, I can say music brings races and generations together only if it does not go against the purpose of human creation.”

Mjelo is available on most social media platforms and can be reached on 071 538 1002 or 072 443 3736.

By: Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.