Czech national finds comfort in Chichewa lyrics
Some have seen her act while others have seen her sing. It is, therefore, no doubt that when the enigmatic Tereza steps on the stage, she puzzles and surprises audiences right from her greeting and introduction. Tereza, with her long golden locks, is from the Czech Republic. She works in Malawi as managing director of a local non-profit organisation called boNGO. ROGERS SIULA caught up with the artist.
In an innovative method of raising awareness and income for her organisation, Tereza decided to sing, performing with artists from Dikamawoko Arts. Her performances are memorable and entertaining, for her sultry voice and dance moves but mostly also because her lyrics are in lucid, perfect Chichewa.
But why did she choose to sing in Chichewa?
“Well, I live and work in Malawi, and most of the people that we work with speak Chichewa, so it makes sense to communicate with them in the language that they would understand best,” she says explaining that her English is not the best either.
“I think with Chichewa it serves the double purpose of communicating to the people that listen to the music, and also highlighting my uniqueness in being a Czech singer singing in Chichewa,” says Tereza.
She explains that since she works in rural areas she likes to tell the stories that talk about the people she works with.
“Life in the village still has that innate poetry. So I met Taddja the poet and we worked on the lyrics to the songs that spoke of keeping with one’s culture, and upholding longstanding traditions with respect to a rapidly modernising world. I like to sing about love for love is beautiful. It is an underlying theme in Chikondi, Titsate Mwambo, Bwera apa, Simuzasiyabe, Chimphongo and even Ku Ghetto,” she says.
She says she likes music that moves the body and stirs the soul.
Tereza’s current hit Chimphongo is so popular with her audiences and she explains that it is basically a fun song.
“All the inspiration comes from Tom Jones’ She’s a Lady. We wanted a song that showed a girl celebrating her man. So working with Muhanya and Taddja, we created a cheeky and fun loving girl, who exaggerates the masculinity of her loved one to a bouncing beat. It’s a lovely song to perform and the crowds generate enough energy for me to feed from. It is a difficult song to sing but with practice I have gotten better and better at it,” explains the artist.
The Czech musician however will not stop with the Chichewa songs. On her new project she is working on two songs one in Chichewa the other in Tumbuka.
“The first one’s hook is a popular traditional song, sang from the voice of a girl talking to her mother; actually, come to think of it, both are about a girl talking to her mother. The second one is called Napima which is Tumbuka for “I’m cold”. I have sang Chichewa songs before but this is going to be my first ever Tumbuka song,” says the bubbly Tereza.
