Born on 26 February 1992, Mmatema Moremi is a South African singer and songwriter who rose to fame in 2015 as the runner up on the eleventh season of South African Idols. She also made history as the first artist to host a one woman show titled “Mmatema Moremi’s One Woman Show” at the South African State Theatre’s Opera as a solo artist with no opening acts. The theatre was filled to capacity.
Earlier in the year, she was nominated 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 where although at an early age of five, she would sing at the pre-school assembly during Morning Prayer sessions, she just enjoyed singing and had no idea that she was gifted with a voice that would go on to bless thousands of people in years to come.
The first inkling of her prowess began when she started attending Dereke Kobe Secondary School. At the age of 10 she hijacked a performing band and went onto the stage,singing to a live audience in front of the entire Zebediela community. The word began to spread and people started booking her for weddings, birthday celebrations and local events.
When she moved to 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 so she only started pursuing a full time career when she started her tertiary education
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 eventually left 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. 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 later wrote a front-page story with the headline “Our Idols was robbed!” Although she never won the competition she signed her first recording contract with Universal Music South Africa. She later parted with Universal Music South Africa to pursue a career in gospel music through her company Mmatema Moremi Media Productions (Pty) Ltd.
Despite Moremi’s Idols disappointments, the 26-year-old has kept working tirelessly to pursue her dream of ruling the South African airwaves. Her second place at the 2015 Idols competition served as a launch pad for a career that has seen her emceeing and recording TV jingles. She also released her 16-track Love. Praise. Worship album in 2020.
