Nkhata Bay’s rising traditional singer Gasper Nali will release his first album Sindinkadziwa at the Lake of Stars Festival later this month.
Nali’s first single Abale Ndikuwuzeni has become an instant hit on the international music scene following its release on a Facebook page called Latinos Post, attracting 11 million views.
In Abale Ndikuwuzeni, Nali plays with a home-made babatoni—a huge one string bass guitar played with a stick and an empty bottle—which, when combined with his great voice and catchy tunes, makes a unique music experience.
But his fans can sample more of such songs in a nine-track album recorded and produced by Swedish producer Mattias Stålnacke at Moto Wambili Studios in Nkhata Bay, a sister project of the UK-based Spare Dog Records.
“The album is unique. All songs are original and traditional where I am using local instruments. Even the guitar I am using is unique; it is not the usual guitar people know,” he says of the album which is both in audio and DVD.
Nali is one of the four musicians under Spare Dog Records scheduled to perform at this year’s Lake of Stars in Mangochi which runs between September 25 and 27.
He says he has decided to release the album at the festival to reach out to a wider audience, more especially patrons from abroad.
“Following the success of Abale Ndikuwuzeni, a lot of people from overseas are interested in my other music. So, I want to ensure that the album is ready before the event, and unveil it there,” he said.
Some of the songs in the album include Sindinkadziwa, Satana Ndiwe Edzi, Olemera Osauka, Malawi More Fire, Mwana Jane and Abale Inu.
Nali started music in 1998 together with his two siblings before venturing into serious music production after meeting Stålnacke, who established Moto Wambili in 2011
