Yogin Rajoo Sullaphen (born 8 January 1986) is a South African composer, music producer, live-looper and multi-instrumentalist. He is a member of the musical duo uKhoiKhoi, where his live-looping practices are a feature of their stage performances. Sullaphen is also known for composing and performing as part of theatre productions and performance art projects, which has earned him two nominations for Naledi Theatre Awards, which recognize excellence in South African theatre.
Early life.
Sullaphen was born in Durban, South Africa, and relocated to Johannesburg during his teenage years. He comes from a mixed-heritage background, with a South African Indian father and a Coloured mother. His diverse background exposed him to a wide range of musical influences, ranging from popular music of the 1970s and 1990s to Indian classical music and avant-garde jazz rock. Sullaphen did not receive formal music training until after high school when he decided to pursue a career in music and went on to complete a Bachelor of Music (BMus) at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, majoring in composition.
Career.
Sullaphen began his career as a guitar teacher in a private school in Johannesburg before transitioning to freelance work in music, primarily focusing on composition and production. His work in music composition has earned him two nominations for Naledi Theatre Awards. He was nominated in the "best original score" category for the production "Jungfrau" in 2019, and for "best sound design/soundscape" for "Strange Land" in 2020, both directed by award-winning South African theatre director Jade Bowers.
Sullaphen's work with acclaimed South African director and choreographer Robyn Orlin has been performed internationally. Between 2012 and 2017 his composition for "Beauty remained for just a moment…" travelled extensively in France and throughout Europe. From 2021 to 2024, Sullaphen, as part of uKhoiKhoi, toured across Europe with Orlin’s stage production titled “We wear our wheels with pride…”; and in mid-2024, uKhoiKhoi performed in several shows in France with “How in salts desert is it possible to blossom...”, Orlin’s latest production. Sullaphen has also composed for and performed in shows internationally with choreographer and performer Kieron Jina.
In 2019, Sullaphen, along with vocalist and performing artist Anelisa "Annalyzer" Stuurman, founded the live-looping band uKhoiKhoi. This duo blends indigenous and electronic music to honour their ancestors and address societal injustices. uKhoiKhoi released a self-titled 3-track EP in 2020 and their second EP "Nongqawuse" was released in 2022. In addition to the international tours with Robyn Orlin, uKhoiKhoi has performed across South Africa at festivals, such as Mieliepop and Fête de la Musique, and other live events.