Mbenjere returns
Malawi’s musician Lawrence Mbenjere has returned on the music scene with a seventh album, Sokoneza. The album, he says, is a departure from his distinct style and themes.
Some argue the Lilongwe-based musician is not creative enough, that he can only sing about the hardships he personally has gone through in life.
Such people say Mbenjere cannot fulfill what music seeks to achieve — to educate, inform and entertain the masses.
However, in a democratic country such as Malawi, such views are inevitable.
But such critics, if they still maintain their stance, are in for a surprise: Mbenjere’s seventh album is different from what his followers and critics are used to.
In Sokoneza, which hit the market this week, the 32-year-old has changed his style and themes and maintained his choral style.
For the first time in his 10 years in music, Mbenjere of the Chiphaso fame is tackling several issues in the eight-track album such as politics, social life, the economy and spirituality.
This is a shift from his albums that only focused on village life and daily struggles Malawians in rural areas go through.
“As artists, we need to be relevant. All my previous albums have been focusing on rural people and how tough life in the villages is. It is the reality and people who have lived in the village are my witnesses.
“The world is changing every day and many things are happening. So, as an artist, I have to broaden my focus and Sokoneza is the starting point,†says Mbenjere who is also a music producer at his Mbenjere Studios in Lilongwe.
His maturity in music and an indepth understanding of other issues is demonstrated in the title track Sokoneza in which he talks about real-life issues: politics and the unfading trend of recycled politicians who switch parties anyhow.
The song tells Malawians it will take a while for the country to embrace civilised politics because ruling parties use politicians from previous governments.
In the album, Mbenjere also wonders why HIV and Aids experts are dying of the pandemic. He also questions why some women sell their bodies to earn promotion, why priests have children and why church praise team members retire early because of unplanned pregnancies.
Other hits expected to thrill music lovers include gospel track Yesu ndi Umoyo, a romantic tune Amange Banja and Sizitheka, a political piece.
Mbenjere has also incorporated a touch of urban music in order not to leave out the younger generation. In fact, in some of the songs, there is a touch of Zambian style.
“Sokoneza is for everyone and the messages were composed to speak to every person — be it an adult or child.
“Even the style is different…I have done the best I could to include what matters in today’s music and I am sure this album will be much more loved by many people than any of my previous albums,†says Mbenjere whose fifth album, Udzaleka earned him over K2.5m in royalties.
