Mmatema Moremi

Born on 26 February 1992, Mmatema Moremi is a South African singer and songwriter. She rose to fame in 2015 as the runner up on the eleventh season of South African Idols. She made history as the first artist to have been a contestant to host a one-woman show titled “Mmatema Moremi’s One Woman Show” at the South African State Theatre’s Opera Theatre as a solo artist with no opening acts. The theatre was filled to capacity. She was nominated earlier in the year at the Mzansi Christian Awards in two categories: Best Female Personality and Best Newcomer.

Mmatema was raised in Zebeidelia , Limpopo by Disego Moremi and Lucky Moraila. At five years old she would sing at the pre-school assembly during Morning Prayer sessions.

At that time she just enjoyed signing and had no idea that she was gifted with a voice that would go on to bless thousands of people in years to come.

It was only when she was attending Dereke Kobe Secondary School did people around her start telling her she could sing. At the age of 10 she hijacked a performing band and went onto the stage, took the microphone and sang to a live audience for the entire Zebediela community. Word spread and people started booking her for weddings, birthday celebrations and local events.

By the time she attended Matladi Secondary School she started experimenting with backtracks doing her own versions of her favourite artist songs.

Her parents were never keen on the idea of her pursing a singing career. Only when she got to tertiary and was out of the nest did she start pursuing music on a full time basis.

Whilst she was studying for her B-tech degree in Applied Languages/Linguistics at T.U.T (Tshwane University of Technology) she joined Reflex Raise however she would soon leave the choir, to join one of the more prominent Gospel choirs in Tshwane; Tshwane Gospel Choir.

In 2014 Tshwane Gospel Choir composed a song for 'Bring Back Our Girls' campaign. To send out a message to the Nigerian Embassy to help get the female students who were kidnapped from Government Secondary School in the town of Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria. Reasonability for the kidnapping was claimed by Boko Harem.

Speaking on Morning Live Sunday the 25 May on SABC; Mmatema said the highlight of being a part of the project was coming up with the harmonies and melodies that would touch people’s heart and encourage the nation to keep the girls in their prayers.

On 22 November 2015, Mmatema lost out of the ultimate prize of being named South African Idol. The Daily Sun would write a front page story with the headline “Our Idols was robbed!”

Even though she never won the competition she signed her first recording contract with Universal Music South Africa. Mmatema parted with Universal Music South Africa to pursue a career in gospel music through her company Mmatema Moremi Media Productions (Pty) Ltd.