Jay Melody
A songwriter who became a star: Jay Melody, by his real name Sharif Saidi Juma, conquered East Africa with "Nakupenda", Swahili ballad becoming an instant classic.
Jay Melody, by his real name Sharif Saidi Juma, is a Tanzanian singer and songwriter based in Dar es Salaam. He first writes for other artists of the bongo flava scene before passing the microphone, with an immediately recognizable signature: from Swahili ballads to the taarab's melodies, carried by a soft and precise voice.
His breakthrough came in 2022 with "Nakupenda" ("I love you"), a huge regional success, followed by "Sawa", "Nitasema", "Sugar" and "Puuh". His first album, "Therapy", appeared on April 26, 2024 and permanently installed his universe of love songs.
On May 9, 2025, he released "Addiction", a second album featuring Jux, Alikiba and MwanaFA, hailed by the specialist critic. In 2026, he returned with the single "Hisia" and concerts throughout East Africa, particularly in Kenya.