Taking stock of E-Wallet
Lack of music training, which results in most artists failing to construct standard music structure or expert sound, continues to dog the country’s music industry for days on end.
It is argued that many people just wake up one morning and start singing or producing music that falls short of standards, let alone expose or promote the mediocrity.
Experts argue that the state of Malawi music continues to be in shambolic state despite the existence of some platforms such E-Wallet that seeks to promote local talent. This year, E-Wallet is conducting its seventh episode of the singing contest since its inception in 2016.
The final eviction which will see six contestants battling it out for the grand prize of Nissan Tiida, is slated for Saturday at Sunbird Capital in Lilongwe.
But the million kwacha question is: why does E-Wallet exist and what is that it is contributing to the development of Malawi music as far as singing talent is concerned?
“First and foremost, E-Wallet is a brand and idea hatched specifically to unearth and develop hidden music talent among artists in Malawi. It also seeks to expose potential talent to prospective music labels, managers and promoters who are willing to invest in potential talent,” said Felix Njawala, chairperson of E-Wallet.
Asked to point out some of the significant strides that E-Wallet has made and contributed to the development of the country’s music industry, Njawala pointed out platform as key to showcasing Malawi’s hidden talent.
“Most importantly, Malawi needed a platform like E-Wallet to help expose its hidden talent which is in abundance. You may agree with me that there are great singers out there but because they lack a platform to showcase their potential, their talents are nowhere to be seen or appreciated by the public, which is characterized by potential promoters, bands, managers and companies,” he said.
Njawala said E-Wallet was a project which also serves as a learning platform for contestants, a development which responds to the challenges such as lack of music training currently facing the music industry.
He pointed out that through the panel of the judges; contestants have been exposed to elements of professional and singing dimensions through constructive criticism.
Apart from sharpening the skills of contestants who improved their careers over time, Njawala said notable products of the E-Wallet include singers Angella Mizinga aka Tigris, Adrian Kwelepeta, Eunice Kadzuwa-Mhango.
“Just recently, the Pre-Valentine’ Day concert recognised one of the amazing E-Wallet talents Jeremiah Chikhwaza who was featured as a guest artist. He brushed shoulders with giants musicians like ‘Sir’ Paul Banda and the Alleluya Band, Faith Mussa and Patience Namadingo. That was just another great exposure for the budding talent,” he said.
If truth be told, E-Wallet singing competition has received overwhelming response especially from contestants. From the word go, young people have been forthcoming to partake in the competition.
However, the major challenge facing the project remains lack of adequate support from the corporate world. The situation in Malawi is unlike in other countries where the value of artistic initiatives is not taken seriously.
