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Where are Malawi’s female secular artists?

Female musicians in Malawi are defined by their conspicuous absence in secular music and a huge presence in  gospel music. Why the imbalance? Ephraim Nyondo finds out.

There must be something acidic in Malawi’s secular music that eludes female artists.

Just look around.

Out of 10 popular secular artists you know in the country, how many are female? Likewise, of the 10 popular gospel artists you know, how many are female?

Or just consider the outcomes of last year’s Malawi Music Award organised by Diversity Leadership. Out of the 15 awards given, only two went to active female artists—Grace Chinga and Ethel Kamwendo-Banda—both gospel artists.

Chinga grabbed the best gospel award whereas Kamwendo-Banda, despite being a gospel artist, managed to triumph over female secular artists and carted home the best Female Musician Award.

You can even look at the trends in top 10 music charts of different radio stations. Take the recent FM 101 local listener’s chart, for instance. Of the 10 secular tracks on the list last week, none is from a female artist. They are all male.

Or you can even examine the history itself. From the 90s, despite efforts from Zembani Band’s Emma Masauko—who is no longer active in music today, it was Ethel Kamwendo who symbolised the power of a female voice in secular music.

But until she got born again and entered the gates of gospel music, the voice of female artists in secular music almost got close to quarantine if it was not for the emergence of Wendy Harawa.

The truth here, unarguably, is self evident. The conspicuous absence of female artists in secular music is no longer a fool’s dream.

Most females either, outrightly, begin their career as gospel artists, or even few that dare secular music, the percentage of those that hold on is minimal.

Why, then, is this the case?

Is there a push factor in secular music which forces or threatens female artists to enter and stay in secular music?

Or there is a pull factor in gospel music which invites female artists not just to enter the world of gospel music but also to stay long in it?

Ethel Kamwendo-Banda argues that background plays a great role in defining who female artists become.

“Most of the female gospel artists I know in the country have a Christian background. They are mostly daughters of church ministers—pastors, reverends, who begun their singing in the church. I think this, to a larger extent, explains why we have more female artists in gospel music than in secular,” she says.

Of course, she might be right. However, there others female artists, like her, who, despite beginning as secular artists still end up in gospel.

“I wouldn’t judge that there is something wrong in secular music. We see these things differently. I was born in a family of music.

“However, my parents could always discourage me from doing music because of the places that we could go and perform. But I persisted because this is my talent.

“I need to emphasise here that I am not talking about other artists. I am referring to my story. The venue you perform your songs, sometimes, creates a bad image of you as an artist to the world.

“For example, when you perform at a bar where people drink, sometimes you witness wives fighting with their husbands, everybody who sees you doesn’t have a good image of you. But I am happy today that God called me. I am now serving Him,” she says.

Cultural aspects

Wendy Harawa—one of the few female artists that have held on to secular music—advances that culture is central to the problem at hand.

“It all starts from the perception where we believe that a woman’s place is at home, not somewhere in the offices, working. When a female artist gets on stage, the perception out there is weird.

“You are regarded as somebody spoilt and called all sorts of names. This is what, mostly, dissuades female artists from being in secular music,” she says.

Is this struggle for women’s acceptance in secular music part of the larger story of women’s fight against patriarchy?

Gender theorist and activist Martin Mazinga agrees.

“Women do not just do music to sell or to showcase their talent. Music is also a therapy—a form of their healing.

“Gospel music provides an emotive outlet of their struggles in a way that doesn’t conflict with expectations of a patriarchal society.

“They tell their inner stories as part of healing the pains patriarchy inflicts on them and, due to massive patronage and support, feel accepted. In secular music, they feel like aliens, they hardly get accepted no matter how talented they can be,” he said.

 

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