The Katimba’s magic

He has towered on the music scene like a giraffe. But what is making Thoko Katimba the irresistible force in Malawi’s music?

Thoko Katimba’s music is a shroud of ambiguity.

He is a man who talks like a boy and sings like girl. His shows, again, are a baffle: he unites urban, gospel and secular giants into a festival of love and oneness.

Not only that.

His compositions, too, portray deep ambiguity of meaning. Take the song, Anaphi, for instance. If the maid was good, does it make sense for house owners to tempt her before giving her the present?

Katimba, surprisingly, does not have an immediate answer to his perceived ambiguity. In fact, he does not see it as ‘ambiguity’, rather a quest to be different.

However, whatever he might think of his music or what critics might argue, Katimba’s music continues to be irresistible to thousands.

The artist has won more fans in addition to the passionate thousands that emotively graced the launch his debut album, Unasankha Chani, in 2008 at Blantyre Cultural Centre (BCC) in Blantyre.

In fact, years have, tenaciously, been doubling and tripling these thousands in subsequent launches of Welenga Madalitso in 2010 at BCC, Ndizayimabe in 2012 and Nthambi last month at Robins Park.

“He is just amazing—quite amazing. His music speaks through and I can die without his voice. It is soothing,” says Jercy Kayira, an emotional fan I talked to last month when Katimba was launching his new album, Nthambi.

But there are many gospel musicians in the country with great voices and touching compositions. Yet such artists do not have the same appeal as Katimba.

What, then, is in Katimba’s music that separates him from the rest?

Lucius Banda, who graced Katimba’s Nthambi launch and Chancellor College music graduate James Kuchilala argue that Katimba compositions are a gem.

“He preaches differently than other gospel artists. You see, the best preachers I know are those that take what is in the Bible and relate them to everyday’s situation and compose a message.

“The Bible was written long time ago. For it to make sense, we need to understand and interpret it in a way that the people should feel part of. That is what Katimba does in his music. He connects biblical teaching to real life situation in the process people easily get related to it,” says Banda.

Katimba agrees, too.

“If you go to various churches these days, the main message being preached is prosperity. Why? That is what people want to hear. But still we need to preach salvation and repentance because it is the heart of the gospel. You cannot, though, just be talking about repentance and expect people to be forced to listen. You need an artistic way of relaying such a message to make an impact. That is why I use stories that people are familiar with and express my message therein,” he says.

Kuchilala adds that beyond Katimba’s careful and artistic compositions is a cleverness demonstrated by transmitting a message in danceable beats.

“Malawians enjoy dancing both to the music and dance. If you listen to Anaphi you get an excellence of such a fusion,” he says.

Banda adds that Katimba’s lifestyle has also been a factor of triumph.

“Malawians love people who are down to earth and approachable. Katimba, despite swimming in success, is always humble and charming. He is man who understands that we are humans, first; that is why many people get attracted to him,” he says.

As if indirectly agreeing with Banda, Katimba advances that he is an artist who does not take his fans for granted.

“When I want to organise a show, I take time to understand my fans. I make it a point to advertise my show for, sometimes, a month before the show. I do this because I want my fans to prepare. I find it degrading to just inform people in, say four days, that you will have a show. Our fans have other issues to do. They should not be taken for granted,” he says.

Katimba adds that even during the shows, he is very concerned about time and ensuring that artists who are supposed to perform are available.

“When you tell people that your show will begin at 13 hours, so it should be. This, again, should be the case with artists expected to perform,” he says.

But what does it take for him to compose a song?

“I do my album after two years. I do this to take time to reflect, research and consult. You see, I go to various churches to hear what preachers are saying at a particular time. I listen to various prophets to get what they are saying. All this gives me an opportunity to reflect deeply on issues and compose songs that reflect realities. To me, music is about interpreting people’s situation using their everyday’s life,” he says.