Zeze Kingston taps into folklore
Before the vibe created by his club banger Alamwanu has died down, self-styled local amapiano star Zeze Kingston has reappeared on the scene with a new release, Chule.
This time he does not have to look further and deep for inspiration to come up with his latest song as he has reworked one of the old compositions from the folklore, Chule chule iwe, bwantansa.
Together with Afana Ceez, Tuno, Leumas and VJ Ice, they have refashioned the age-old composition by adorning it with modern elements in the song which is done in the South African amapiano genre.
Like Alamwanu before it, Chule has already established itself as a favourite among club goers.
“Ndakula movutika, mami dekhani, mukachulukitsa nkhani, ife tingokuwekani. Chule, chule iwe, bwantansa, wakutuma ndani? Bwantansa, kuti ubekeshule, mwana wa chipongwe…” goes the song in part.
Being a song that has been around for long, it has been easy for people to relate to it and the amapiano feel has helped to elevate into an instant hit.
In an interview yesterday, Zeze Kingston said he was overwhelmed with the response that Chule has received which was released two months after dropping Alamwanu. The artist said the energy the song brings during his live performances is amazing.
He said by tapping into the folklore it has allowed him to refresh the old compositions, whose meanings are better understood now and still relevant.
“You know by its nature, a frog [chule] does not settle in one place. It keeps on jumping as it moves from place to the next. This song is targeting people who focus on other people’s business without doing their own things. They only come to you when all is well with you,” Zeze Kingston said.
The song was recorded at Set Up Studios in Blantyre by Leumas, who also features in the song.
Meanwhile, Zeze Kingston has paid tribute to his fellow artists for lifting the song to another level.
He said: “I am working with people who believe that this is a movement. This is not going to die now. They share in the vision of where I want to put Malawian music. I cannot do it on my own so I am grateful for their support.”
One of the artists featuring in the song, Tuno, who has now featured in three amapiano songs, said she is enjoying the vibe that the genre is generating in the local industry.
“Working on the song felt really good. I was surrounded by good energy and the focus that we had was shared. It made everything easier in the end,” she said.
