Getting a seal of approval from a major global star can feel like a career shortcut in music—and Mandla “Soa Mattrix” Mashakeni says he’s seen exactly how that can change everything.
Key takeaways
- Soa Mattrix teamed up with Usher in early 2024 for an amapiano remix tied to Usher’s Coming Home era.
- Other South African producers involved included Major League DJz, Morda, Manana, and Junior Taurus.
- He credits the collaboration with opening doors and reshaping how people view his work.
- His latest release, Ngikhumbula, featuring Bassie and Khathapillar, has drawn close to 300,000 views since a May premiere.
- The track blends pop and amapiano while reflecting on emotional wellbeing, healing, and the value of connection.
Global collaboration helped redefine his momentum
In early 2024, the DJ and producer linked up with multi-award-winning R&B heavyweight Usher to create an amapiano remix of Usher’s song Ruin for the album Coming Home. Mashakeni wasn’t the only Mzansi name behind the project—Major League DJz, Morda, Manana, and Junior Taurus also contributed.
Speaking about the experience, Soa Mattrix described it as a milestone that brought his name and craft into view across the world. He said it didn’t just add recognition—it also led to opportunities he hadn’t expected to receive.
He added that the collaboration shifted his reputation and changed the way audiences and industry figures approach his music. For him, the takeaway is simple: perseverance and consistency eventually pay off.
Since that breakthrough, he’s kept building momentum, including chart movement that reflects the growing reach of his sound.
Ngikhumbula turns personal healing into a bigger message
Soa Mattrix’s recent single Ngikhumbula, featuring Bassie and Khathapillar, has already generated nearly 300,000 views since it first arrived in May. While the song is rooted in romance, he says it also carries a deeper message about emotional wellbeing and healing.
In his view, many people carry heavy burdens in private. When life feels too much, there are often people they wish they could talk to. He framed the song as a reminder to reconnect with those individuals, recognize the ways they mattered, and understand why human connection is so essential.
Musically, the track incorporates both pop-leaning elements and amapiano. He also describes it as more grown-up than his earlier releases—something that shows in both its mood and production approach.
Creating it, he said, was especially demanding. More than anything, he pointed to the way it sounds—stressing how soft and clear it is to the ear, and how it’s the kind of track you find yourself replaying again and again.
The single is also setting the stage for his next album, which he’s currently working on as he prepares to release more from this new chapter.
