Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation

Boston born U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo got her start at Wally’s Jazz Café when she was tricked into performing her poetry in front of an audience by her friends.  But her journey reaches much farther than the great Wally’s. 

U-Meleni spent her youth in Zimbabwe and she credits her late mother as well as her grandmother for her gift of empathy and expression.  Since Wally’s, she has gone on to perform internationally as a poet, singer, speaker, and educator. 

In addition to her artistic endeavors, she is also Adjunct Professor at Endicott College – Boston and was a Keynote at the Naturalization Ceremony at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston in 2018 among many other accolades.   

She is a fearless powerhouse on stage.  Her critically praised book of poetry is called Soul Psalms. Her work has helped raise awareness for immigrant and women’s voices and her passion for the human spirit is exemplified in her dedication to the youth of this city as well as in her running marathons, most impressively the Boston marathon several times.  She also just won a Creative Entrepreneur Fellowship from the Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston.