* At Hotel Victoria in Blantyre on Sunday from 13:30-17:00hrs
* The CD and DVD has 10 gospel tracks — 7 in in Chichewa and 3 in English
* Mixture of types of music and also traditional beats — especially ‘Lapa Ukalowe’, which is in Ngoma style
By Duncan Mlanjira
Wycliffe Chimwendo, Namasalima Artists from Mulanje, Thom Family from Blantyre, Vineyard Ladies from Blantyre, Ngwenya FAM from Lilongwe and Pastor Davie Chiwaya from Blantyre are top artists that are set to support the official CD and DVD launch of gospel songbird Gertrude Malulu’s Ndikadzanka Kumwamba album.
Set for this Sunday at Hotel Victoria in Blantyre, from 13:30-17:00hrs, the CD and DVD has 10 gospel tracks — 7 in in Chichewa and 3 in English — ‘Banja Lokondwa’; ‘I have a Longing’; ‘Diso Silinaone’; ‘Lapa Ukalowe’; ‘Be Holy; album track ‘Ndikadzanka Kumwamba’; ‘Sunagwire Ntchito’; ‘Armour of God’; ‘Tsata Yesu’; and ‘Udzapezeka Mmwamba’.
The solo musician who lives in Blantyre, says ‘Ndikadzanka Kumwamba’ is her first album, which is a mixture of types of music and also traditional beats — especially track number 4 ‘Lapa Ukalowe’, which is in Ngoma style.
“I am a choir member of Vineyard Family, a singing group in Blantyre City and I became a solo artist in 2019 and started recording songs at Gifted People Records studio in 2020 during the night.
“When I was 5, my mother would teach me and my brother to sing at Church but we used to tremble while singing [because of fear of the congregation] and she would end up singing alone.
“When I was selected to Providence Secondary School in Mulanje, I joined a choir and I have been singing since then — in Soprano or Alto. I became interested as a music composer since 2009.
“At first, songs used to come in my mind but I would let it go and forget them but later I started writing them down. When I am in solitude in a quiet place, an idea of a song comes up with a beat. Sometimes songs come when reading the Bible, books, news or listening to a sermon.
“Normally it comes with one stanza or a stanza with a chorus. I give myself tasks to write the second, third or fourth stanza depending on type of song. I composed all those 10 tracks in ‘Ndikadzanka Kumwamba’,” Malulu said, adding that to date, she has composed a lot of songs that are awaking to be sung.
Professionally, Malulu is an environmental scientist who has a Master of Science in Environmental Science obtained from University of Malawi (then known as Chancellor College). She also has a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science from the University of Malawi (but obtained as Malawi University of Business & Applied Sciences (MUBAS) — formerly The Polytechnic — and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Exploits University.
She works for Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) as Environmental Specialist and she is also a part-time agri-business farmer.
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Her message to the up-and-coming female musicians: “They should be unique, they should desist from mimicking other musicians or being involved in music plagiarism locally and internationally. There is no problem in being inspired by other musicians, but let us not be them.”
Going forward, Malulu says her plans are to practice the songs she has been writing and compiling for the second album, targetting in the next two years.
Tickets for the show are being sold at K2,000 in advance and to be K2,500 at the Hotel Victoria entrance where the CDs and DVDs will be sold. For advance tickets, gospel enthusiasts are being encouraged to contact her Malulu on 0888 838 231 or 0999 838 231.
Her ambition comes with some challenges in that she rarely has enough time as she is a professional with a highly demanding job and occupied with other activities as a wife.
“With such demanding roles, Malulu says: “I have to balance up tasks to ensure my attention of my work, family, relatives, friends and singing,” she said.
She profoundly thanks the supporting artists, saying she does not take it for granted since “these are renowned artists who have agreed to render their support for me to hit the music industry with a bang”.
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