Unearthing Malawi’s raw talent
It was at the dot of 11:43pm last Saturday night. Sunbird Mount Soche’s Njamba Room in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre, was the setting. Wakhumbachi Kaluwa wowed the crowd with her voice.
Her soul was on cloud nine; celebrating her massive success. All you could read on her face was disbelief; she had triumphed over Malawi’s cream of budding artists.
Wakhumbachi had just been crowned the 2012 E-Wallet Talent Competition champion. She had beaten young and talented Taonga Kanthungo and versatile singer Guise Pemba in the finals to win a K500 000 (about $1 389) cash prize.
Wakhumbachi emerged best out of the 26 contestants who registered for the competition in September last year.
She stood out during her first auditions in Blantyre. Taking a try that day were 200 artists and dancers. Many failed, but her name was among the list of 26 who qualified for the national championships in Blantyre.
She goofed during some performances, but judges saw the talent in her and gave her another chance.
Notable advice she got during the auditions was to improve on maintaining the key and adding energy to her voice.
She picked it from there, and when the competition kicked off at Sunbird Capital in Lilongwe on October 6 2012, it was a chapter of excellence for Wakhumbachi.
Her natural soft voice was transformed into a strong one, and with that melodic voice, she has finally made a name and is now walking tall in the corridors of budding music artists.
“I value most the analysis and advice I was getting on stage and after performances. It helped a lot in shaping my talent,” says the 17-year-old.
When she performed Killing Me Softly by the Fugees, it was like a live performance. She exceptionally fused the artists’ two voices with the instruments. It was not easy to tell she was new in music.
Now, for the first time, Wakhumbachi will face music recording studios’ microphones. Multichoice Malawi has pledged to sponsor the recording and shooting of her single, I Will Be There, which she composed when each finalist in the competition was asked to create a song.
The hit is guaranteed to play at the newly-introduced GOtv shortly.
The former Kamuzu Academy student has never faced music recording studio microphones before, but she has been singing in church.
While at Kamuzu Academy, where she has graduated recently, she performed in the school’s band. That is the only background and experience she has in music. Yet, she reckons, it is that experience that has helped her outclass 25 other contestants.
Wakhumbachi says in a group performance, she plays lead vocals role.
“I have grown up with a passion for music. When I am walking or resting, stories run through my head and I turn them into music. Then I rush to my computer where I rehearse and record the songs.
“I record the songs over and over again until I am satisfied. I can say this is what has helped me to sharpen my voice,” says Wakhumbachi, who lives at Msusa Village along Chikhwawa road in Blantyre.
She comes from the Northern Region’s second least populated district after Likoma—Rumphi. On February 26, she will be flying to Namibia for her Bachelors of Arts Degree in Business Administration at the University of Namibia.
