Kell kay’s love after 24
The last few years has seen a rise in the number of up-and-coming musicians who have steadily shaped up the musical terrain in Malawi.
While others were one-hit wonders as they disappeared in the doldrums faster than their lyrics, some have persevered and proved their worth in an industry riddled with several challenges.
From the crop that emerged recently, Kell Kay, real name Kelly Kambwiri, is one musician that has found his own voice as well as feet.
Kell Kay’s career can be traced to 2014 when he dropped his first single, Ndilore Ndipite. Having ended the year on a good note, he returned in 2015 with the release Ndikadzavala Ovololo and Tiye, a love song.
Synonymous with lots of promising young talent whose career ends right before it even starts, some fans wrote Kell Kay off. They thought just like others in the past that shone for months before disappearing into oblivion, his glory was not going to last long.
But the artist systematically shrugged that off with a response through a hit that remains one of the most popular hits from the local urban music scene—Mwano.
This collaboration with Martse took Kell Kay to greater heights proving that he has a knack for this art.
Little wonder, Mwano won him the Song of the Year Award in that year’s edition of the Urban Music People (UMP) awards. The same awards crowned him the Best R ‘n’ B Artist in 2015 and 2016.
Kell Kay bagged the same award in the Nyasa Music Awards in 2016 and 2017 before his other song with Gwamba, Hello Mr Yesu, brought him the Best Collaboration Award in the 2017 UMP awards.
Clearly, the artist has had one fulfilling journey. However, one thing has been missing, an album.
According to Kell Kay, the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle has been found as he drops his first album in April this year.
“I have worked hard, and I have put my heart into it and considering the fact that it is my first album, I had to deliver my all and I promise everyone who loves my music that it is going to be one of the best albums ever in Malawi,” he said.
Of course, Kell Kay has one Extended Play (EP) titled All for You. But having been around for about five years and releasing singles like Finca, Juju, Mbuli, Simple Girl, Nono and Milandu, one tends to wonder as to what took the artist so long to drop the album.
“It has really taken me time because I felt like I was not ready and needed to be sure I would give people what they expect from me. Coming up with good work requires time and this album needed all the time it could get,” he said.
Dubbed Love After 24, the Afro pop album chronicles the musician’s life outside the stage, mostly about love as the title suggests.
“From 2012 to the day I turned 24, I have been in love. I have loved someone who did not love me back; and I have been loved by girls I did not love back; I have been blessed with a kid whom I love more than anything in the world.
“The day I turned 24 was when I really looked back at all my experiences with love to be a better person, a man, a brother, a son, and a friend,” said Kell Kay.
The album has 12 songs and has gone through the hands of several producers which he says brings in a variety of styles and touch.
“It’s a compilation of different musical brains and hands. I have worked with producers, Henwood and Tricky Beats. I have not released singles yet, but I will soon, and people should be on the lookout for Chatha, Nakupenda and Nsikusambizye, all produced by Henwood,” he added.
Currently, his plans are to launch the album in May in Lilongwe.
“We have plans which we cannot disclose just yet because we are still in talks with big companies but if everything fails, then I will drop it most likely on Spotify or sell it like how every big artist does,” said Kell Kay.
Tricky Beats, who produced Mwano, is “pretty sure” Love After 24 will be a hit.
“Kell Kay is matured; he knows what to do as an artist. Judging from the songs we did in the past and the momentum he has kept over the years, the album will be good,” he said. n
