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South Africa
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Jamela John Ross Vuma, known professionally as JRoss, is a South African singer, songwriter, producer, and composer who grew up in Soweto in a deeply musical household. His father, Tom Vuma, is a respected producer, and this environment led Jamela to begin piano lessons at a very young age and later direct his church choir while still a child. As a teenager, he was mentored by legendary producer Chicco Twala, and at sixteen, he joined the Children of the Rainbow project alongside Somizi Mhlongo, contributing both vocals and piano. By the time he was eighteen, he had signed with a major record label and quickly became involved in shaping the sound of late-1990s and early-2000s kwaito by producing albums for established groups and writing music for leading artists of the time.
He went on to form and perform with the group Jojavu before moving into solo work and later joining Arthur Mafokate’s 999 Music stable, where he produced club hits and helped develop emerging performers. In order to separate his commercial R&B identity from his kwaito image, he created the masked alter ego Sgonondo and released two albums under that name, earning national award nominations. In 2012, he released the album "All the Way," which blended R&B and kwaito and included radio hits and collaborations, earning him further industry recognition.
In the mid-2010s, Jamela shifted his focus toward gospel music and adopted the name JRoss, releasing worship projects and live recordings that expanded his audience internationally. Alongside his own work, he has continued producing for other artists across both secular and gospel genres. His career has been marked by multiple nominations and awards for music and television composition, including national recognition for his work on drama series soundtracks.
Jamela has spoken openly about overcoming addiction and credits his faith and family for his recovery. He now serves as a worship leader, works with youth outreach initiatives, supports creative development through nonprofit work, and remains active as a performer, producer, and mentor within South Africa’s contemporary gospel and music community.