I will not change Med C-Mhango

Med C’s manager Tiwonge Mhango says he will let the young artist express himself freely and will not try to change his identity musically.

Mhango made the remarks following mixed reactions that followed the release of Med C’s single Uvinanso and a video for the remake of his other song Complaining.

Some fans say they were unimpressed with the direction the young artist has taken.

But Mhango said he has no intention of changing Med C from what he is and what forms part of his DNA.

In an interview, Mhango said his focus is to help the boy break onto the international market while doing music that identifies with his background and is in line with his aspirations.

He said people might have been expecting too much from a 16-year-old who is still  developing as an artist.

“I made a decision not to go by what the social media says. I don’t even follow it. Last night when we had just released the video, I was busy with the boy in the studio recording his next song.

“Social media has different demographics. When you go on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram, you will find that the levels of energy are different. So, it is a non-starter to be guided by such narratives,” said Mhango.

The manager, who signed the artist under his US-based Magic Fingers Entertainment music stable, has also detailed challenges such as low quality of recording studios as the reason his music is not coming out as it should.

He said they have been forced to use auto-tunes to boost the quality of Med C’s voice, adding that from his perspective it is impossible to lift Med C out of the Malawian market while sticking to the same tried and tired Malawian beat.

Said Mhango: “Maybe we need a double approach where we produce music that Malawians can identify with and some which is strictly for the international scene. What people saw in the Complaining music video is exactly where he comes from.”

One of the critics, lawyer Tamando Chokotho, said Med C needs a good producer to bring the best out of him and a songwriter to help on the lyrical content.

“I listened to his Uvinanso song and I find the tone to be monotonous. The lyrical content was shallow. I went back to his old tunes such as Jembe and Litilo: the songs are a musical display of his talent,” he wrote on his Facebook page.

Commenting on the same issue, Charles Ulaya said: “He has talent, but needs time to work on his music. I like the ghetto music which he is singing. I have been to places such as Ndirande and these are the kind of songs they like listening to.”