Aya Mpama

Authentic, fresh, full of young life yet imbued with a sense of maturity, and with just enough sophistication to take it across generations, Aya Mpama is becoming an integral part of the musical lives of South Africa’s discerning music lovers. Into the space between the jazzy torch songs of old, and a fresh homegrown infusion of earthy self-penned compositions, comes an often jubilant, fun and sweetly sophisticated jazz sound. 
A slate of live performances is underway and she truly enjoys the interaction with live and universally appreciative audiences. As a songwriter, it is Aya’s sonic “state of mind” that was showcased on her debut album. “My music is a representation of my identity, the music I love, the songs that have influenced me, my direction and the dreams that I hold.” 
Hailing originally from KwaZulu-Natal, her work in stage performance, numerous intimate live gigs in Durban and a degree in Music and Drama from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal have all assisted Aya in shaping her musical vision. That Aya’s sweet, soulful voice may be familiar to South Africans can be put down to her selection as a Top 6Idols finalist in 2005. The real benefit of the Idols experience was connecting with Dave Thompson(Sony Music-Africa) who knew right from the moment he first heard Aya sing that hers was a special talent – and when Aya moved to Johannesburg, he wasted no time in inking a deal with the artist.. 
Right from the onset, Aya wanted a “fresh, jazzy sound – close to the old standards but relevant to who I am as well as the audience that I am playing to.” Fine-tuning the sound was no easy task. “I’m a diverse woman – I think in both Zulu and English, I was born in Swaziland, lived in Zambia and spent much of my childhood in Durban.I am as much an urban girl as a rural one so that needed to be reflected in the music,” 

Aya Mpama is capable of holding the attention of her listeners to her CDs, but it’s in the studio and on the stage that she really comes alive. She has performed at numerous corporate functions around South Africa, for both local and international VIPs, with a five-piece,a three-peice band and as a solo artist; – as a consequence she has fans continent-wide who appreciate her muzic. Her very natural ability to switch between English and Zulu only adds to the performance appeal. “I know just instinctively which words need to be conveyed in which language and I do think that the choice adds to the impact of the lyrics and the songs,” she says. 
Her performances are a perfect representation of an artist who knows where she is going in life and in music – straight to the top of both, taking the shortest route through the hearts and minds of her audiences. Her’s is always an unforgettable performance. 

Aya Mpama is not only a musician but both a television and radio personality who presents a music programme entitled ‘SoulSundays’ on SABC 1 and does a show on Metro fm every saturday morning from 1-3am.