Malawi musicians unite for flood victims
Following the footsteps set by USA for Africa three decades ago, where various artists released the all time charity hit We Are the World, Malawian musicians have released a single in aid of flood victims.
USA for Africa (United Support of Artists for Africa) was the name under which 44 predominantly US artists, led by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, recorded the hit single We Are the World in 1985.
The song was a US and UK number one hit.
This super group was inspired by Bob Geldof’s Band Aid.
The considerable profits from the enterprise went to the USA for Africa Foundation, which used them for the relief of famine and disease in Africa and specifically to the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia.
USA for Africa also held a benefit event, Hands Across America, in which approximately seven million people held hands in a human chain for 15 minutes along a path across the continental United States. Participants paid $10 (about K5 000) to stand in line and the money raised was used to fight hunger and homelessness in Africa.
The combined revenues raised from the sales of We Are the World and Hands Across America was almost $100 million (about K50 billion).
And borrowing a leaf from this phenomenal success, local musicians, led by Lucius Banda have recorded and released Ndi Mitima ya Chikondi, a single aimed at offering compassion to the flood victims in their hour of need.
Skeffa Chimoto, Lulu and Wendy Harawa are some of the artists that have joined the Balaka North parliamentarian in the song.
Done from a first person viewpoint, Ndi Mitima ya Chikondi can best be described as an appeal for compassion.
Lucius opens the song with: Kuyesera kugona tulo sitikubwera, kuganiza abale akuvutika/M’bale wanga walira, nane ndilira nawe/zooneka pano ndi zatonse/Kumaliza tsiku ndidzipita kunyumba kukapeza anthu ndi nyumba kulibe
He is joined by Skeffa, Lulu and Wendy on the chorus: Ndimitima yachikondi, tigwirane manja/Atsogoleri atsogole kuonetsa chikondi, tonsefe titsate mbuyumo, tafedwa tonsefe tafedwa
The Jamming Machine, as Skeffa is fondly called, brings in an emotional element when he sings in the second verse: Akulira mama Malawi, chikhalire sanazione/sabata imodzi anthu ankhaninkhani kupita ndi madzi/A Malawi dzikoli ndi lathu/akuzunzika ndi abale athu
Lulu, who has produced the song, chips in with this verse: Awononga madzi sanaone nkhope/sanaone chipani, sanaone mpingo…mavuto ngatonse/nthawi yopweteka Malawi/banja lonse kutsala kamwana.
And Wendy brings in the feminine side of the disaster by highlighting the need to put special attention on women, especially those that are pregnant: Ganizana ana ang’ono, amayi oyembekezera/ganizani okalamba, nanga olumala
The structuring of the song creates a sense of continuous surprise and emotional build-up. It paints a picture of the life of the victims of the floods.
“The single is about the floods that have displaced thousands and killed some of our brothers and sisters across the country. After this, musicians will hold one big show at Lilongwe Golf Club on Sunday where we will perform the song for the first time.
“At the show, many other artists who were not part of the recording will perform with us as we raise funds for the victims. It will also be put on CD and sold so that we raise as many funds as possible,” said Lucius, who is spearheading the project.
Producer Lulu says the idea is to move and motivate Malawians to spend the little they have on helping those affected by floods.
“The song has been composed and created as musicians’ response to the natural disaster that has befallen us. The song basically calls on people to help with the little they have.
“Soldier came up with the tune and we all welcomed it and started working on it as a team and everybody came up with a stanza and sung it at Mathumela Studio,” Lulu explained.
