There’s something to be said for artists who don’t rush. Mandu Soul started working on “Entelechy,” his debut album, back in 2020. It’s finally dropping January 30th, and if you ask him about the wait, he’ll tell you about the literal blood, sweat, and tears that went into it. But also the joy. It’s been that kind of project.
The Virginia-based R&B singer and songwriter didn’t stumble into music yesterday. His mom kept him in church choir growing up. High school meant chorus. At home, he’d throw on headphones and sing whatever was topping the charts. The shift from casual singer to serious artist came when a friend heard him and said something simple: “You need to stop playing around and start making your own music. I’d definitely buy it.” A music teacher kept pushing too, telling him he had to get out and perform anywhere he could.
That advice stuck. Now Mandu Soul describes his sound as fresh with an old-school flair, which makes sense when you hear what shaped him. He grew up on 90s hip-hop: Biggie, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, DMX, A Tribe Called Quest. These days he’s a J.Cole fan, drawn to the lyricism and storytelling. “I like the lyricism,” he says. “The ability to tell stories in their music.” But there’s also the classics: Motown, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Keith Sweat, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Jodeci. You can hear traces of all of it when you listen to tracks like “Can’t Wait” and his debut single “Destiny”, both of which already have full music videos on YouTube.
What he’s after isn’t just beats you can vibe to. He wants depth. He wants lyrics that take you somewhere. “I miss the days when music had depth to it,” he says. “I want my music to be a journey.” When people listen, he hopes they can feel it. “I want them not only vibe to the beat, but hear the lyrics and let it take them somewhere.” There’s a nostalgia factor built into his work, but it’s not just throwback worship. It’s more about capturing that feeling when a song actually meant something beyond the production.
The diversity in his influences shows up in the music itself. While he considers R&B his core, he pulls from everywhere. Rod Temperton’s songwriting. Hall & Oates. Hi-Five and Jodeci. Justin Timberlake, Miguel, Musiq Soulchild, Kool and the Gang. It’s that range that gives his sound its particular character, that sense of familiarity mixed with something current.
His third single “Friends” drops January 2nd, followed by “Entelechy” on January 30th. He’s already thinking about what comes next: building a band, planning shows, getting merch together. He wants to put on shows people won’t forget, the kind they’ll actually be excited to see.
“I may be small now, but I have a feeling I’ll be able to reach so many,” he says. The confidence is there, and so is the follow-through. He’s been working toward this for years, and once “Entelechy” drops, he’ll start writing new music for the next album. If this debut is any indication of what’s coming, it’s worth paying attention now.
You can find Mandu Soul on Spotify, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook, and Beacons.
