Mangochi based musician Frank Kaunda has a deep
obsession with Skeffa Chimoto. He mimics him a lot in his compositions
especially in his track 'Sipuni'.
I am not sure if both of them are aware of my
observations but like I have said here before I will say it again: Budding
artists should only use the talent of the established for learning purposes and
not take it as their own.
There are times when budding musicians copy from
established ones in order to get a career foothold as they ascent towards
glory. But there is always need to cut out one's own identity when unveiling
self.
There is a reggae musician called Siddy Ranks. The
first time I listened to his music I realised his futile attempt to be the
great Gregory Isaacs' copycat. For me this was a complete put-off!
The one person that I have also discussed on these
pages is Evance Meleka. When Evance
collaborated with controversial gospel artist George Mkandawire to release
tracks ‘Mwalawo’ and ‘Manga Patanthwe’ he realized how sweet it sounds to do
tracks that are gospel.
A short while since this
attempt, he declared himself a ‘Gospel Artist’ and I have no reservations with
his decision because the effort he showed in the tracks, cuts him above the
average acts that are polluting the gospel music arena.
My problem with Evance
came when he decided to become an Oliver Mtukudzi copycat which instead turned
him into an impressionist shame.
Evance is blessed. His
voice is unexploited gold which only he can take care of and nurture as time
goes by.
Meleka ‘debuted’ his
gospel music career with tracks where he imitated Oliver Mtukudzi unashamedly.
I am glad he stopped and
got back his senses and ever since he has done a few tracks like 'Yanokola' and
'Baraba' which has made him gain back his respect.
On the question of good
voice, I would not hesitate to say the same for Frank who calls himself
Ankhoswe. Besides his very good voice, his compositions are lyrically
compelling.
Of course a track like 'Masewera chabe' is more of a
story telling marathon that sometimes becomes something else. The likes of
long-drawn-out compositions of Thoko Katimba which would make you stick around a
radio set long enough until it finishes as it is like listening to a short
story.
I digressed, but my point is that there is need for
our budding musicians to create their own identities. There are many artists
who have tried to imitate Skeffa Chimoto, Lucius Banda, Billy Kaunda etcetera
but they did not achieve music greatness.
The reason we are today talking about Frank Kaunda is
because despite imitating Skeffa Chimoto he has shown us all that he is
naturally talented and he has a very bright (in Malawian context of course)
future.
Frank ought to realise that Skeffa Chimoto started with
imitating and doing covers for Mlaka Maliro but he only used him as a learning
passage.
Today, we cannot say that Skeffa imitates Mlaka
because that is not what it is as he has now created his own identity which has
attracted both local and international admirers including the current Zambian
President Edgar Lungu.
There is need to have a cut-off point when an artists
who is new in the game is using the works of the established ones.
I will end this entry in the exact way that I ended
the one I did for Evance Meleka.
Musicians in this country should not only help each
other financially, they also need to guide one another on career direction,
surely those that have veered off the road need someone to help them get him
back on the track if they have to achieve anything…
This is my message to Frank!
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