Nyokase Madise’s quest to revive Malawian music heritage

Nyokase Madise, a former member of the Zathu band, is a talented artist who has music running through her veins.

Growing up in a family of passionate musicians, she was destined to make a name for herself in the industry.

“My grandmother was a DJ and journalist at MBC, and my father was into multimedia content and music distribution with the likes of the Blantyre duo Kapirintiya.

“My brothers grew up around studio equipment and would record tapes until they became music producers. I started recording with them, so I grew up in an artistic family, although nobody in my family can sing except my sister and I,” Nyokase shared.

Her inspiration to make music came when she watched Ben Mankhamba’s Chonde Musatelo video on Music Splash, a popular TV show on MBC.

“I was inspired to start making music when I was only nine years old. That song made me cry, and from that moment, I always wanted to make people feel connected with music,” Nyokase added.

Nyokase’s music journey began long ago. She started as a female rapper in 2020 under the stage name Young Jazmine, monitored by veteran producer and rapper Dominant 1 during her form four holiday.

“The first song I put out was Glasses in the Air in 2010, produced by BFB, but the first one to get radio airplay was Be Alright, featuring VOR, produced by Skizzy,” she said.

Although Nyokase hasn’t been active in music recently, she has a competitive spirit and never gave up on her talent.

However, she has announced that she will be releasing an album, Katundu, meaning baggage, which will be released after some singles, Napolo 1 and Napolo 2 on August 30 this year.

“The album is very honest; I’m letting out all the baggage I’ve carried on my shoulders for so long. I’m getting it off my chest, and it’s an album that the youth can relate to their experiences.

“I grew up on the adage ‘katundu wa mu mtima tula,’ so I get things off my chest through lenses of ancient storytelling and music,” Nyokase explained.

The album promises to be a unique blend of modern soul music and ancient storytelling.

“Some songs are based on proverbs and legends, and for someone who has never had a chance to learn about local anthology, this is the opportunity to learn about our heritage through modern soul music,” Nyokase further said.

Nyokase has assured her fans to expect the best from her new album.

“I want people to feel this album and not just hear it. They should expect to be shaken with a lot of honesty, and I’m hoping that people can listen to this album in their most secret times when they are scared to talk to themselves, and the music will talk to them,” said Nyokase.

Among other songs in the album is Napolo, produced by That Guy and Black Eye, which tells the story of a woman going through heartbreak and seeking vengeance.

One of the artists she has collaborated with in the album is Hayze Engola, a hip-hop artist known for his poetic expressions.

“I have known Hayze for a very long time; we have worked together music-wise. He is very poetic in the way he writes his music and uses metaphors.

The first song is very melodic, so together with my co-executive producer, we thought of adding a hip-hop punch in part 2 from someone who understands the music, and he delivered beyond expectation,” Nyokase added.

Hayze Engola one of the artists which she has collaborated with says the album is very natural, classy and traditional that the fans will enjoy.

“Nyokase is an amazing artist with a unique touch of music, for instance this new upcoming album is very natural, traditional and classy with stories that speak for themselves and it has deep messages with unique titles, catalogue and track list,” he said.

The album’s executive producer, That Guy, praises Nyokase’s unique talent, saying her music stands out from the crowd.

“Her music has that element of narrative and storytelling that is missing in most of the music that artists in today’s world are producing. The album is, actually, a tribute to the fallen musical heroes; it celebrates Malawian culture, our folktales, et cetera.

“You can see this in songs such as Napolo, where she talks about a brief history of Napolo that came down the mountains, but she did it in an artistic narrative, which is impressive,” That Guy said.

Although the production process was fun, the producer noted that they lacked equipment for the album to be fully functional as planned.

Kelly Chikoko, one of Nyokase’s fans, expects the album to be exceptional, with a touch of storytelling and excellent vocals.

“Knowing Nyokase’s vocal abilities and her pen brilliance, I am expecting a creation that is different and amazing. Her patience in music creation and the thorough research she has been doing, I believe, will produce an album one needs to listen to,” Chikoko said.

Before the artist releases the album, she will host listening party sessions on dates which are to be communicated later.