Nde’feyo entertainment celebrates its talent

On Saturday night, Blantyre music lovers walked back memory lane when former Nde’feyo Entertainment stars reunited under the Nde’feyo Legacy Celebrations gig.

The Club 24/7 near Kameza Roundabout was buzzing and the mood around the venue brought back memories from two decades ago when Nde’feyo Entertainment set alight the music industry in Malawi.

By then the company signed up some of the prominent urban music artists such as Maskal, Onesimus, Piksy, Bucci, Namadingo, Trumel, Mada Ngoleka, McLuther and Sigidi.

It was during this time when the likes of Piksy churned out compositions such as Uncle Short One and Wa CV which turned out to be career defining pieces. 

On this occasion, Chitoliro Productions of former Nde’feyo Entertainment co-director Ken Zizwa Limmwame, brought together Maskal, Bucci, Trumel, Piksy and Onesimus and predictably the expectation among fans was huge.

On stage, the artists showed how much they have grown. It was in a way a display of how much they gained from their mentorship under Nde’feyo Entertainment stable and they did that in the most spectacular fashion.

A day before the show, Chill caught up with Piksy, Maskal and Onesimus as they relaxed at Five79 Café in Sunnyside, Blantyre. The trio looked back at their formative years.

Said Piksy: “It was exciting back then. We were young and all we wanted was to be famous. When everyone is starting singing they want to be famous and Nde’feyo Entertainment gave us that platform. And we really got famous.”

The other two seemed to agree with Piksy’s notion. Onesimus said their getting back has brought an incredible feeling. He said he wished their reunion was prolonged.

“I have always looked up to these guys. When we were young they inspired me. They were like big brothers. I have learnt from them and we have all learnt from each other. Fortunately, all of us are doing well individually,” he said.

Onesimus, who was then trading under the name Armstrong, signed up when he was 18 and he was the youngest in the Nde’feyo nest, Piksy was 21 and Maskal was 25. The three even mocked how childish Onesimus behaved at times, including doing summersaults after shows.

The trio paid tribute to the contribution the company made to the careers. They said the stable made it easy for them to realise their potential.

Maskal said: “The management side of things was massive. There was also that financial aspect where we would just go into the studio and record our material without caring about the financial implications. The company did everything for us, including negotiating shows for us.”

Onesimus said he credits 60 percent of the artist that he is today to Nde’feyo Entertainment. He pointed out the company’s ability to scout and nurture talent.

Piksy said: “When you are an artist and you are doing your own negotiations you don’t know your value. It is other people who know your value. The artists under the stable had an edge over others. It is not surprising that Maskal was the first high-earning urban artist in Malawi.”

Maskal rued the lack of such type of management attributing it to decline of professional standards in the industry.

“When an artist is doing things on his own, it is hard to turn down some offers which are not worthwhile. But if you have people in front of you it is a different scenario all together,” he said.

While Onesimus and Piksy have been on a constant trajectory, Maskal’s fortunes have not been favourable since he relocated to the United States of America. But his two ‘brothers’ have backed him to reclaim his spot on the country’s music radar.

Onesimus said: “Malawians have not forgotten how good he is. He is still a special artist and very soon he will be back on top.”