Every voice has its brothers — those male artists who carry the same emotional texture, the same calm confidence, the same devotion to storytelling through sound. Over the years, listeners have told me, “Your music reminds me of…” and they name men whose artistry I deeply respect.
These artists don’t shout.
They don’t compete with the music.
They glide through it with intention — just as I do.
So today, I want to share a few male voices whose musical energy sits comfortably in the same universe as mine.
1. Gregory Porter – The Warmth of a Hearthfire
Gregory Porter sings like someone who knows your heart before you speak.
There’s a gentle might in his baritone — smooth, steady, reassuring.
His phrasing is deliberate, his tone velvet‑rich, and his emotional clarity always hits home.
Listeners who enjoy the soulful warmth in Sephonono often say, “Gregory Porter gives me the same feeling.”
I understand why.
2. Lionel Loueke – The African Jazz Minimalist
Lionel Loueke blends African rhythms with jazz in a way that feels fresh yet deeply rooted.
He is a master of restraint — thoughtful, textured, and quietly adventurous.
His voice is soft but expressive, and his guitar work adds a meditative depth that resonates with my own musical ethos.
We share that grounded, African‑infused jazz sensibility — controlled, elegant, emotional.
3. Richard Bona – Soul Meets African Grace
Richard Bona’s voice floats — effortless, light, soothing.
He has this almost spiritual gentleness, the kind that wraps itself around you.
Whether he sings in Douala or English, his delivery is pure and sincere.
People sometimes tell me, “You both have that soft, floating warmth.”
I take that as a compliment to the emotional honesty we both value.
4. Jonathan Butler – Smooth Soul With a Southern African Heart
Jonathan Butler sings with the sincerity of someone who has lived every lyric.
There’s gospel in him, jazz in him, and Africa in him — a combination I relate to deeply.
His tone is tender, introspective, and beautifully sincere.
His music feels like a companion on a long, dusty drive home at sunset — just like mine often aims to be.
5. Michael Kiwanuka – Gentle Strength, Emotional Truth
Michael Kiwanuka brings a quiet intensity to soul music.
His voice is textured, warm, and tinged with vulnerability.
He never forces emotion; he allows it to rise naturally.
That authenticity is something I feel connected to — the belief that music works best when it breathes.
Why These Voices Speak to Me
These men are not similar to me in sound alone — but in philosophy.
They understand that power isn’t in volume.
It’s in purity.
In honesty.
In singing as if you are having a private conversation with the heart.
Their music reminds me that artistry exists in the space between the notes — in the pauses, the subtleties, the gentle confidence.
When people say, “You and this artist feel the same,” it tells me that the emotional world I inhabit is shared, respected, and understood.
For those who enjoy my music…
Let these men accompany you through quiet evenings, soft reflections, and the tender moments of your day.
If any of them make you think of me —
I am grateful to be in such deeply musical company.
Nnunu Ramogotsi: Africa's Jewel 