Does Malawi music need a traditional touch to succeed?

An old adage goes ‘a nation that does not recognise its history and culture is like a tree without the roots’. By extension some people have argued that music which does not recognise its culture and tradition lacks uniqueness.

Could this be the reason music from such places as Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) becomes popular even on the international market because people can easily associate and identify it with the country of origin? And does Malawian music need to have a local touch to do well internationally?

Up and coming musician Ray Chakhaza feels Malawian music is already influenced enough by culture and tradition, but the problem is the levels and standards of production involved.

“In fact, it is unfair to say Malawian music does not reflect our culture or tradition. We should understand that Malawians have also contributed a lot towards music industries of other countries in the region; so there is nothing like Malawian, Mozambican or Zambian music—we share the same traditional beliefs. As such you cannot entirely blame lack of cultural aspects or elements in our music for its failure to penetrate the international market,” he argues.

He cites the example of the album released by Kalimba in the 1980s called Make Friends with the World which was produced in South Africa by top notch producers and it was predominantly reggae.

“Is reggae a Malawian traditional beat? And why did it perform exceptionally well on the international market? The problem is that these days, everyone who owns a computer and a guitar think they can be a music producer,” he says.

Chakhaza also believes music is made big by the type of marketing and exposure it gets.

“Some of the international music we listen to is trash that does not deserve a place on the music stands, but you see them do well on the market. The secret lies in the marketing strategy. This is why we have seen some types of music like jazz—which is not a Malawian beat—done by Malawian musicians doing well,” adds Chakhaza.

He also proposes that up and coming musicians should strive to work with or be supported by veterans in the industry.

“We need to realise that the long one party regime suppressed music and for this reason, only a few musicians braved the storm. So it is imperative that their wisdom and expertise is tapped into,” Chakhaza states.

But Elwyn Soko, an experienced recording studio backing vocalist, who has also played alongside several big artists in Malawi and Zambia, thinks the problem is that most Malawian artists are copycats who appreciate and value foreign beats at the expense of their own.

“I believe Malawians are identified by some localised traits which give their work a unique touch. Music like that of Thomas Chibade, for instance, has a unique element attached to it and coupled with mature production and aggressive marketing, such music can make it big internationally. Unfortunately, our market is flooded by copycats that are so shameless they even mimick or sound like somebody else simply because he/she has excelled on the market,” he says.

Soko observes that the lack of creativity denies Malawian music an identity.

“I believe most Malawian musicians have mastered the art of stealing music beats, but they make a bad job of it. If we were creative enough we would be refining the stolen beats.

“It is also a shame to see that such music is what Malawians enjoy to listen and dance to. It is high time we refused such mediocrity,” he says.

Soko suggests the reintroduction of music lessons in primary schools for Malawi to churn out original, creative music.

“The other problem is that Malawian music buyers consider anything from outside to be better than local productions. But you will be surprised to learn that some of these musicians we cherish here are non-entities in their homelands,” he says.

Retired music teacher George Kachamba says Malawian music is unsuccessful on the international scene because artists do not believe in their work.

“A musician should believe in his or her work and if they get into a recording studio with a positive mind, they are most likely to come out with a successful project.

“Take the recently released album by the relatively unknown musician Sirius who blends pop, rock and some African elements. Listening to his songs or watching his videos, you see somebody who believes in what he is doing and is determined to achieve greater heights. A musician has to be daring because music itself is quite challenging,” he says.

Kachamba says it also helps for a musician to be able to play some instruments so that the music being produced takes the direction he/she wishes.

“Some musicians have brilliant ideas in terms if the direction their music should take, but they are forced in a different direction by adamant producers and eventually, this distorts what would otherwise have been brilliant music,” he states.

Kachamba also advises musicians to critically study the music market and terrain before venturing or coming up with their projects.

He says: “This is important because it gives one a chance to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the market you are targeting. I always advised my students to think beyond the four corners of the studio and seek professional advice. Sometimes, the type of messages that one’s music carries is not relevant to the market needs, so if you make your assessment, you are able to adjust and refine your work.”