Mikhale Jones
Every now and then a special artist emerges – young, brimming with talent and complete with a strong, unrelenting vision of their future.
Mikhale Jones is one such artist. Neo-Soul, Trap and Pop singer, dancer and fully-packaged star in the making, she knew from an extremely young age that she was destined to be a performer – and now, at 25 years old, she has been more than noticed by the industry and public alike. Having just wrapped up the recording on her first signed album, It Is What It Is, Mikhale holds nothing back.
With a ‘say-it-as-I-mean it’ attitude, her lyrics are honest, raw and mince no words, enforcing even more her strong, vibrant personality – and with buckets of natural, effortless beauty, this sultry singers personal street style looks like it popped straight off the pages of a fashion magazine.
With definite jazz influences coming through, her soulful voice takes the listener on an organic journey. The listener can hear her flawless vocal training and control and Mikhale is not afraid to use her voice to set a sexy, often sassy tone. A strong lyrical story-teller, Mikhale can command a hip-hop beat as much as a soulful melody.
On her latest offering, Mikhale is influenced by the likes of some of her favourite musical artists including Snoh Aalegra, Anne-Marie, Kehlani and Jhene Aiko, but throws a definite nod to some of the R&B greats such as Aaliyah and Brandy, particularly in vocal-style. Though despite her feather-soft vocals, Mikhale knows how to deliver a tough lyrical sting.
Being appropriately trained in the art of song-writing and performance through a BA of Live Performance, Mikhale is no stranger to the world of stages, lights and studios. But as the creative team buckled down to create the EP, Mikhale admits she had a few moments of anxiety, one of which resulted in a teary break-through she now acknowledges she needed in order to get out of her head.
“I wasn’t confidant enough to make mistakes in front of my crew until that moment, but after that happened everything was smooth sailing”, she states.
When the creation process was further interrupted by Covid numbers spiking in South Africa, she then was forced to retreat home and finish the vocals from lockdown – a process she actually considered liberating.
Amidst a pandemic, and then further getting her wisdom teeth pulled in the middle of recording, It Is What It Is is finally ready to be released.
Mostly written by Mikhale herself, with production from The Cousins, the EP is filled with radio-friendly gems that merge her chosen genres seamlessly.
Being personally involved in the lyrics is vital to Mikhale. “Every single track is about stuff I have lived through and experienced. I couldn’t sing a song that I didn’t resonate with on a personal level.”
Yeah is one such track – a personal favourite for Mikhale, it speaks directly from her stronger female psyche about exes and the break-up sex that often ensues, but on her terms only.
Rock It, a definite dance-floor track, boasts shimmying soul and pop sensibilities and Talk To Me, (containing the Tevin Campbell sample from his hit Can We Just Talk) is another artist favourite.
Pulling on the emotional vulnerability men all too often don’t show in relationships, it speaks about necessary conversations couples need to be involved in for a relationship to work.
The first single My Soul is a goose-bump-inspiring, sexy ballad that shows Mikhale’s range off perfectly, just doing what she does best. All in all the EP is a showcase of a remarkable talent that speaks her own truth and walks her own path.
With regards to her future dreams and aspirations, Mikhale is still taking things one day at a time, enjoying the processes that go with being a new talent in a competitive world. Content to sit back and let nature take its course, her only real aspiration right now is to see her music reach all the right ears and hearts – and perhaps headline Coachella one day with a big band in her sweat-pants!
Mikhale Jones has an natural edge that the world is embracing. Her record deal will see her released not only in SA, but also across the African continent and parts of Europe. Her phenomenal voice, natural beauty, flawless work ethic and commitment to being real is destined to make her one of SA’s brightest new stars.