Kamuzu Barracks Singers launch fourth album
Lilongwe-based Kamuzu Barracks Gospel Singers on Sunday launched their fourth album Mulowelelepo Volume 4 at Robins Park in Blantyre.
The launch attracted an impressive audience and it came barely a day after the group also launched the album at Gymkhana Club in Zomba.
The album whose title track ‘Mulowelepo,’ is currently enjoying airplay in most of the local radio stations was first launched at Sheaffer ICA in Lilongwe.
The otherwise beautiful launch at Robins Park was, haunted by sound problems which at one point forced Kamuzu Barracks Gospel Singers’ Music Director Chimwemwe Binauli to complain.
“Mr Engineer can you please help us, people know that as Kamuzu Barracks we perform better and this is why they have come in large numbers but please work on the sound it is not good,” said Binauli.
He later moved in with the audience to sing ‘Mulowelelepo,’ with people pointing at the engineer.
This is the song which simply requests God to take control of the circumstances one is found in and in this case the sound was the challenge for Kamuzu Barracks and the audience.
Despite the sound problem, Kamuzu Barracks Gospel Singers excited the audience with their energy on stage and as soldiers they did not disappoint.
Their first entry saw them beautifully dressed in their camouflage attire and dished out close to five songs from their album including ‘Self Container,’ and ‘Mulowelepo,’ which excited the audience before they bowed out paving way for auction.
The auction was well handled by master of ceremonies Aubrey Kusakala, who was also dressed in camouflage attire and saw several people including artists and prophets participating in the auction.
The eight member group which started in 2002, came out for the second time and dished out two songs including ‘Dzandiwolotseni,’ which is the title track of their third album.
“As Kamuzu Barracks we are thankful for the support we have received and we don’t take this for granted. There were problems of sound but such things happen. Now we are looking at producing a DVD later in November,” said Binauli.
The album which features songs with different genres including reggae and rhumba was recorded at One Heart Studio in Blantyre by Lloyd Phiri and Groove Magic Studio in Blantyre by Joseph Tembo.
Apart from ‘Mulowelelepo,’ which is turning into an anthem, and ‘Self Container,’ the other songs in the album are ‘Ndidzaima,’ ‘Koma Mau,’ ‘Malamulo,’ ‘You Change My Name,’ ‘Mukhale Nane,’ ‘Kulimbana Nako,’ and ‘Dziko Lapansi.’
Kamuzu Barracks was voted the Best Gospel Group in the Muma Awards in 2014 and its other albums are Bwenzi Langa and Sankha Moyenera.
Ndirande Anglican Voices, Ethel Kamwendo Banda, Princess Chitsulo and Great Angels Choir were some of the artists that spiced up the launch.
During the launch some artists including Kamwendo Banda took advantage of the platform to voice out their concerns on the several false stories which have come out following Chinga’s death.
“People have created several false stories through the social media since our colleague Grace Chinga passed away. As artists those stories have affected us but we are not moved, God will always be God and all I can say is as Malawians let’s stop this habit of creating false stories,” said Kamwendo Banda.
The ‘Ndiumboni’ star said she was forced to speak about the issue after a fellow musician Thocco Katimba also spoke about it.
“We would like to thank people for the support they showed the family during the trying time. We will miss Grace but we thank God for her life and through her music she preached to many of us,” said the singer, before she dished out ‘Usachoke
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