Platinum-certified producer and DJ Soa Mattrix is stepping into a refreshed chapter of his career—one that leans hard into soul, recovery, and the kind of emotional closeness music is built to create.
Born in Soweto, the hitmaker—whose birth name is Mandla Mashakeni—has just unveiled his newest single Ngikhumbula, featuring vocalist Bassie. The track is described as a heartfelt blend of Amapiano with R&B, Jazz, and Soul influences, aiming for something more intimate than a typical club moment.
Quick facts
- Soa Mattrix is a platinum-certified producer and DJ entering a new era rooted in soul, healing, and emotional connection.
- The Soweto-born artist’s real name is Mandla Mashakeni.
- His latest single is Ngikhumbula, featuring vocalist Bassie.
- Ngikhumbula blends Amapiano with R&B, Jazz, and Soul elements.
- Soa Mattrix says the song reflects a mature, spiritually aligned moment in his career.
- He credits a studio chemistry process with Bassie and another musician, Khathapillar, during the recording.
- He admits he initially worried about fan reactions to his experimentation with new elements in Amapiano.
- He hopes the music can support emotional healing and spark conversations around mental health.
For Soa Mattrix, the release marks one of his most grown-up and spiritually tuned periods yet. He frames the song as evidence of how his relationship with music has evolved, shaped by both personal spiritual development and a deeper curiosity about genres beyond Amapiano.
The making of Ngikhumbula
When he talked about how the track came together, Soa Mattrix said the instrumental essentially set the tone from the start. In his words, the beat created a specific environment that he struggled to translate into plain language—but the feeling was immediate.
He added that the “magical” energy of the rhythm sparked his inspiration, and once Bassie delivered the vocals, Ngikhumbula locked into place as a complete, cohesive song. He described Bassie’s performance as the final piece that made the emotion fully land.
Moving away from the idea that music is simply “music,” the producer emphasized that the way people listen changes as they age. He explained that he’s become increasingly aware of how genres such as Jazz, Soul, and R&B can reach listeners’ emotions effortlessly, and that spending more time with those styles helped him realize there’s more at play than sound alone.
In his view, music is spiritual—and it can shift a person emotionally in a major way. He believes it can turn difficult days into something brighter, and he links that transformation to the different spiritual level he says he’s reached over time.
That shift has also influenced his sound. Soa Mattrix admitted that he feels Amapiano can start to feel repetitive sonically, which pushed him to challenge himself creatively and try new textures and musical elements instead of leaning on the same patterns.
He said he noticed Amapiano often cycles through similar musical components, and that realization led him to ask why he couldn’t tap into fresh sound ideas and create the kind of change he wants to hear. He also believes the genre’s naturally slower pace creates space to merge Jazz and R&B influences while keeping Amapiano’s identity intact.
Bassie’s role and studio chemistry
Although Ngikhumbula is rooted in Soa Mattrix’s vision, Bassie’s contribution was intentional in both emotion and delivery. The producer called Bassie a “conscious musician,” saying her lyrical choices and vocal tone naturally connect with deeper feelings.
Soa Mattrix explained that before they officially worked, they held a catch-up session where they shared recent life experiences and brainstormed together. He said Bassie opened up about what she’s been going through, just as he did, and that understanding life on a personal level feeds directly into what becomes possible in the song.
He also said that once an artist truly understands what life has been doing to them—and how they’ve been handling it—they gain creative material that can be poured into the music.
The collaborative momentum didn’t stop with Bassie. Soa Mattrix added that during the recording process, another musician named Khathapillar visited the studio and immediately connected with the sound. He said Khathapillar responded quickly to what he was hearing and suggested adding an extra chord and bassline, which ultimately elevated the track.
Even with his belief in what they were building, Soa Mattrix admitted he had doubts at first. He recalled that the real challenge arrived when he started speaking out loud about adding new elements to Amapiano—wondering whether audiences would accept the shift.
He explained that he previously worked with the same kinds of elements that the market has grown used to in the genre, so he wasn’t sure how listeners would react to something different. Ultimately, though, the strong appreciation for Ngikhumbula reassured him that fans are ready for evolution rather than repetition.
More than longing and love
While the song centers on longing and love, Soa Mattrix says listeners have connected with it in ways that go far beyond the surface. He shared that some people relate to missing childhood friends they haven’t seen in years, or to memories that were changed by loss and death.
He also noted that fans have described the track as pulling them back to moments with their parents—memories that still feel close but are no longer within reach. For him, Ngikhumbula is about longing for the memories that shaped people’s lives, and it’s meant to make listeners revisit the past.
Looking forward, he says his musical direction now focuses on “speaking to the soul,” not only creating dance records. He stressed that music can’t be reduced to movement alone, and that it should serve as a way to communicate with the spirit.
Soa Mattrix also advised listeners not to expect a typical “banger,” positioning the release as something closer to “soul food.” He wants people to listen closely in order to truly connect with what the song is trying to carry.
Reflection on working with Usher
The producer also reflected on what he learned while working on Ruin – Soa Mattrix Remix with American R&B star Usher. He praised Usher’s team for their professionalism and for being open to collaboration across genres and across continents.
Soa Mattrix said that despite Usher’s global profile and massive numbers, the team still reached out with enthusiasm about his sound. He described their interest as a clear sign of their structure and vision.
Confronting mental health issues
Ultimately, Soa Mattrix hopes that Ngikhumbula—along with his future work—can contribute to emotional healing and help move conversations around mental health forward. He described mental health challenges as a serious threat to teens, young people, and adults alike, noting that many people are carrying heavy burdens.
His wish is that the music lowers depression and supports healing, emphasizing the idea that songs can play a real role in helping people cope. He also encouraged anyone struggling emotionally to speak openly with trusted loved ones.
He believes music should reconnect people with their humanity, their history, and with themselves. “We need songs to unite people and humanity like never before,” he added.
