Amplifying a woman’s voice through song

Trizah Titus has been known to the world of music as a gospel artist. Listening to her recent production leaves one with many questions whether she is abandoning gospel music. Arts and Entertainment Editor EDITH GONDWE wanted to know what is happening and had a chat with her to find out more. Excerpts:

Q

: Who is Trizah Titus?

A

:               Trizah Titus is a music artist [writer/composer/singer/performer], a fashion model and entrepreneur.

Q

: When did you realise you had talent in music?

A

: Well, I realised I had a singing talent in 2010 when I joined Christ Embassy Mass Choir in South Africa.

Q

: What has been your music journey ever since?

A

: I started my singing career for fun because I enjoy stage performances more than anything in life so I would say my journey has been amazing and I am happy.

Q

: You are known to have entered the music world with gospel music but lately what you are playing cannot entirely be described as gospel, has there been a paradigm shift?

A

: Expectations happened. My mother wanted me to sing gospel because as Adventists we don’t dance to music, so I didn’t want to disappoint my family. However, I love gospel and my music will always be partly gospel but I am rather comfortable by calling myself a positive artist.

Q

: You have spent your musical career both in South Africa and Malawi. Of these countries where has it been rewarding and why is it so?

A

: My music in South Africa was rewarding because I had paid performances almost every weekend and I could sing house genre as well, which one can perform anywhere, at anytime.

Q

: What genre do you like playing, I have observed that you do not have one particular one.

A

: I love playing Afro Jazz

Q

: What oppportunities for growth exist for Malawian artists?

A

: Musicians in Malawi need support from all angles, personally I think organisations, companies and record labels should be supportive so that the industry can reach international levels.

Q

: I gather you are or you almost pursued a nursing profession, what happened considering that the music industry in Malawi cannot provide you with your bread and butter

A

: I did nursing of course but I am used to being my own boss. Nursing in Malawi does not pay that well so I am happy to be an entrepreneur and I use my nursing skills to help the needy and empower young women whenever I can.

Q

: One of your songs Chingaba Wuli tackles issues of injustices done to women, what informed this track and is it something that you would like to pursue, I mean to play a feminist card?

A

: My song Chingaba       Wuli is composed from my life experience so partly I am a feminist because I want to send out the message so people can understand how it hurts to be a victim. I am also a feminist because many people understand it in a wrong way so I don’t want to give a wrong expression but I respect human rights and I believe everybody should be treated equal and by the way, women are humans too.

Q

: What is your real name and how many are you in your family and who else is into music?

A

: My name is Lucy T.T Gondwe and I am a second born child in a family of five [four girls and one boy] and I am the only one doing music professionally for now despite that my siblings sing more beautifully than I do, hahaha! However, my uncle is also a musician, his name is Mwiza Msowoya and his daughter Valine Msowoya [my cousing] is also into music. The whole extended family has angelic voices. n