Unpolished diamond that did Maloto Sang'amba

Last weekend Blantyre’s Club 20 Four 7 hosted several performers in what was dubbed the hit-makers show. One of the hits of the moment is Maloto Sang’amba done by a new kid on the block Emmanuel Kambanje, whose showbiz name is Manzy. The song also features his elder brother Wales who calls himself Wale.

Watching the brothers play at the venue at Kameza you could clearly see that the boys have been rushed to start performing. The backing band did their best but it was a pity to see the futility in efforts from the boys.

When you listen to the track, it is clear that it is a well thought out production as the artist depicted artistic and inventive impression in stating the obvious in a musical way. 

It is the power in the production of this track that renders the more expectations from the music lovers that have fallen for it. It is for this same reason that patrons to the show well filled with expectation that they will be treated to the same level of class that Maloto Sang’amba has demonstrated.

I was confident that what Manzy has done in the studio will be projected on stage. Right after ascending unto the stage, Manzy who was being backed by the elder brother set down to business playing some of his tracks that we had never heard before. Listening to the tracks for the first time meant that there will be mixed feeling on the dance floor. And indeed, other patrons were very patient with them, listening and expecting for the juggernaut track to send them spell bound. Others started shouting that they wanted Maloto Sang’amba because they didn’t know about the other tracks.

You could see from Manzy’s body language that he really needs a good stage coach to give him a lesson or two on how he should carry himself. Then it was also very clear that he also needs a vocal coach to train him to give it the same feel that he pumped into Maloto Sang’amba recorded track which missing in the one that was performed.

I am not sure how many preparatory sessions Manzy has gone through before he decided that he was ready to face the crowd. There is need to ensure that a live performance should not take the value that a recorded track endears itself to the fans.   

The two brothers told The Nation recently that they have played music together from back in the day. The Newspaper reported that Manzy started out at Chamchenga Catholic Choir in Nkhotakota around 2002, but he reunited with his brother in 2006, in Zingwangwa.

They set on their first project, an album they recorded at guitar maestro Collen Ali Matola’s Trutone Studios. The duo recorded their debut 10-cut collection, Ndi Mfumu.

As you will appreciate many people do not know about it, just like I have only read about it in the newspapers now. It means there is a lot of work that is put into making uncut diamond polished for the market.

We all agree Manzy and Wale have proven beyond doubt that they have studio talent, however this has to be in line with their stage performance.

Imagine the boys stepped on stage and just whipped into action with songs the patrons have never heard of. What about a little greeting and an introduction to the tracks so that as performers you create an atmosphere where you are on the same page with your audience.

I gather their elder brother, Martin, who noted the interest in music of his young siblings did not only establish TK Studio for them in Zingwangwa but I guess by default became their manager.

We might be accused of trying to be seen to be showing that we know what is best for Manzy and Wale now that they have hit the jackpot, in the sense of fame of course, but we were not there when they were struggling. Yes, that’s how life is. Now that they have managed to draw our attention, we become part of success and we speak with unconsented authority.

Anyway, my point here is that the fact that one is sponsoring or in general is the number one benefactor of our artists does not give us the permission to become their managers. More so when such manager does not know what being a music manager or artists manager entails.

This manager should have known that Manzy and Wale are not ready to do stage performances. Let there be a vocal trainer for them and even a trainer for stage mannerism.