Stalking Kell Kay’s 10 year music journey

Last weekend, Afro-soul singer Kell Kay held a concert at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe as part of his 10 years anniversary in music. Hundreds of his fans came to witness his crowning moment and celebrate a career that appears to be on a steady trajectory. In the aftermath of his monumental moment, our Staff Reporter BRIAN ITAI caught up with the artist to hear from him how his career has panned out so far. Excerpts.

Q

: When did you start your music career?

A

: I started doing music long time ago. At first I was just being driven by passion and not like a career or something that could bring food on my table. Almost everyone was telling me it is not easy to break into the trade, but I kept on going.

Q

: Did you ever imagine you would get this far with music?

A

: Not at any point did I ever dream I would get this far. I never imagined all this honestly. But God is amazing. He has His own ways. I did not know what God had in store for me. Maybe if I had known then it would have even distracted me because I would have gotten pompous. My way up has not been easy. I have suffered a lot.  I could go to the recording studio in search for a chance to produce music, but the openings never came. On the other hand, my friends were getting lucky and got signed by some producers. People kept saying you have the potential, but you cannot do it. In 2014, I got my first record deal. Even then I did not envisage that I would go this far. For me, it was just the contentment that I have finally gotten a chance to be producing music.

Q

: How can you describe your experience this far?

A

: The music industry in Malawi is tough. Now things have become a bit easier because of the digitisation. If your craft is good and you share your content on social media spaces, people support you. But the situation was different when some of us were starting out 10 years ago. Things have changed and the music itself has changed too. The years I have been in the trade have opened me up to new things. I know a few things. I know my fans and I know what to give them for them to be happy. Even when I am doing a show, I know what I need to give them. For two years now, I have done two sold-out shows and the support from my fans has been amazing.

Q

: How many albums do you have so far?

A

: I only have two albums now Love After 24 and Ndabwera Ndi Nkhani. I may drop another album next year.

Q

: What keeps Kell Kay ticking as an artist?

A

: Hard work. To be honest with you, I work so hard. When it comes to music, I don’t rest. But apart from that hard work, there is also my belief in God whom I put on number one. There is also the support I get from my fans which is crucial.

Q

: What did the moment of your 10 years in music celebration mean to you?

A

: That moment meant a lot to me more than anything else. When I was on stage and saw the crowd I could not believe it.

Q

: What are some of the challenges you have met in your career?

A

: I have come across many drawbacks, but rejection is the biggest of them all. There were moments when nobody felt interested to sign me as an artist. The other limiting factor has been resources and not getting the required support from people in strategic positions. But there is hope as things seem to be changing for the better now. You can see the commitment from the government to help the sector to grow. That is what we need.

Q

: Ten years gone, what should your fans expect from you?

A

: They should expect more collaborations and more performances from me. I hope to win international and local awards for Malawi in the coming years.