Incubator year
Just like other years, 2015 was another good year which registered a crop of talented artists that made an impact on the arts scene.
From music production to live performances, from poetry reciting to creating visual arts, young artists proved their potential by putting up spirited work that stood out in 2015.
On the music scene, Malawi witnessed the emergence of fresh blood such as Sangie, Kelly Kay, Blaze, Sir Patricks of Trap Squad, Young D, Black Nina of Chilawe Changachi fame, Dali, Slyce, Jay-Jay Cee, Bucci, Hazel Mak, No Sleep Gang (NSG), Canny 1, Malceba of Wina ndi Wina fame and Serious Man, who rocked the local music world with Mpumulo.
Despite being little known, Serious Man’s Mpumulo was one of the 2015 hits which rocked both households and drinking joints.
Mpumulo competed favourably with other popular songs of 2015, including Nepman’s Na Lero, Mwano by Martse feat Kelly Kay, Tsika by Sonye, Somebody or Nobody by Trap Squad and Janta’s Divorce.
2015 was also favourable to some artists such as Diktator, whose Happy Day song competed fairly on the music charts. Piksy, Martse, Gwamba, Nepman, Nesness, Truemel, Mwanache, Saint, Sonye, Stick Fray, Young Kay, Mzuzu’s K-Man and the Black Face Family also made headlines for their powerful releases.
There was also another influential local music ace Chief Mkumbira who impressed with powerful local jams such as Ndamanga Wanga in 2015.
During the 2015’s Urban Music Party (UMP) Festival, Sangie won the award of New Artist of the Year while the Best Producer Awards went to Tricky Beatz.
The Best video of the Year award went to Divorce by Janta.
Meanwhile Patience Namadingo, Khama Khwiliro, Ennoh Mwana Wa Igwe from Lilongwe and Chifundo Banda, who lately dropped Hallelujah, were some of youthful artists that conquered the gospel stage with new styles that propelled them to stardom.
On the poetry scene, Frank ‘Atcheya’ Naligonje and Yohane Pangani were some of the highlights.
On music video production front, directors Sukez of HD Plus Creations and Ron C of Red Ink Media were some of the thriving young men in 2015 that produced such high quality music videos as We Here by No Sleep Gang.
Gaffar of Step Up Records, DJ Sley, Stich Fray of D & T Records, Janta also emerged to be some of the flourishing producers in 2015. n
