In the aftermath of ‘Soldier’ Lucius Banda’s death a lot has been said about the man and artist he was.
With all the descriptions, analyses and decorations he has been adorned with, the space has become intimidating for one to attempt to put through your thoughts about the man, arguably one of the greatest artists of his generation.
One aspect of his art that is undeniable is the boldness fronted by the activism of his music.
During times and periods where such as the transition to multiparty rule, he dared to say what many ears didn’t want to hear.
Through his art he emerged as a voice that many people looked up to for hope and an alternative view. He became the person who many wanted to be, but couldn’t be.
But his courage was not limited to that aspect alone. ‘Soldier’ is an artist who did not set boundaries for himself. He never looked at himself from one dimension.
Circa 2006, Thomas Chibade was probably what everyone else wanted about Malawian music. The young man had set a new bar for fellow artists owing to his instant success after releasing his debut album Zatukusira.
Then came Lucius Banda, he hooked the then youthful artist for a collaboration on one of his best compositions to date, Kalata Yachitatu.
Chibade had a unique style which was prevalent in his song writing style, the themes he touched on and the delivery too. When his songs were playing, there was no argument about the identity of his work. The Chibade DNA was just too dominant.
But this didn’t scare Soldier in any way. Kalata Yachitatu was like a showdown between two of the best vocalists of the time. Each managed to hold his own and the resultant outcome was a bomb.
This other other time, he appeared on a song with Afro-jazz star Lawi, Hello Love.
One would never Soldier would never stretch himself as far as donning jazz colours. But here he was.
In Hello Love, he displayed a rare mellow understanding of the genre. It is an attribute that not many possess.
Throughout his career Soldier dared himself in this manner time and again.
He did collaborations with artists across the board. Some from his age bracket and others just new in the trade.
He rowed with Janta, who later became one of his go-to producers. He worked with the urban music oriented DJ Sley, the traditional Katele Ching’oma, the reggae biased Black Missionaries and innovative Atumwi.
Questions have been asked how he remained relevant for so long. This courage of sticking his feet everyone is one crucial element that allowed him to be a man of all seasons.
Using his collaborations, his art kept evolving. It allowed him to acquaint himself to new tricks and modernising his touch without losing his identity.
Twenty albums in over three decades is long shot. We can spend weeks and months dissecting his compositions and they can provide good fodder for any form of discourse whether academic or otherwise.
But his artistic courage is one side of him that we should never play down. Malawi’s greatest ever? Yes! Rest well ‘Soldier’.
