ABOUT
Born to a Sri Lankan father and German mother, Stefan Mahendra’s musical journey began at a piano bench in South London, guided by his mother’s encouragement and early classical training. But it wasn’t long before he veered off the traditional path - drawn deeply into the world of jazz, soul, and R&B.
His early discovery of American gospel greats like Smokie Norful - artists who weren’t just masterful pianists but also powerful vocalists - inspired a deeper passion for both playing and singing. That influence led him to icons like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, and D’Angelo: legends who built their songs from the keys up, crafting entire sonic worlds from the piano. It's this lineage that flows through Stefan’s music - soulful, grounded, and effortlessly timeless.
Stefan Mahendra has sold out every headline show he has put on
to date. His live journey began with a sold-out debut at
PizzaExpress Jazz Club, Holborn in 2022, followed by multiple
sold-out performances at the legendary Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club
in 2023. That same year, he headlined The Lower Third in Soho to a sold-out crowd, confirming his growing reputation as a powerful live artist.
Since then, Stefan’s profile has continued to rise internationally.
In 2024, he opened for US soul sensation Jarrod Lawson on his
UK tour, before supporting Death Row Records artist October
London on his sold-out UK run in 2025. Later that year, he joined
legendary soul group The Stylistics on their 24-date UK tour,
performing to audiences across the country. Most recently, in
February 2026, Stefan supported Joss Stone on her US West
Coast tour.
Building on the momentum and fanbase developed through these support tours, Stefan announced his first-ever headline US and UK tour in conjunction with the release of his second EP, Home Sweet Home, which began rolling out in March 2026. The June and July tours sold out across both territories (including a sold out show at the world renowned Ronnie Scott’s), marking a major milestone in Stefan’s growth as an independent artist and
bringing the project directly to fans on both sides of the Atlantic.
Home Sweet Home was officially released on July 31st, further
cementing Stefan’s position as one of the most distinctive voices
in modern R&B and Soul. His single “Too Late” has also received
airplay from BBC Radio 2 and Jazz FM, and was selected for the
official BBC Radio 2 playlist.
Most recently, in August 2026, he opened for Alt-RnB artist Gallant on his US west coast tour, celebrating the 10 year anniversary of his grammy-nominated album Ology.