Soldier to release 20th album next year
Soldier Lucius Banda has said he is targeting to release his 20th album which he described as a celebration album next year.
Lucius, who is one of successful musicians in the country said this in an exclusive interview on Saturday on the sidelines of his performance at the just ended Blantyre Arts Festival (Baf) held at Blantyre Cultural Centre.
“We are at 50 percent now working on the album. I know people are looking forward to it but I have been busy with other projects as well. I am not far but I am looking at the next three or four months to finalise the album,” Lucius said.
“I will be 50 years old next year and again, I will also be celebrating 25 years in marriage. I have been married to my lovely wife for 25 years, so that is why I am saying it is a year full of celebration,” Lucius said.
The musician then hailed organisers of Baf for the successful journey.
“It feels good to be here at this year’s Baf because I was part of the formation [of Baf] 10 years ago, and so I found it important to come and symbolically I came with my daughter, who during the formation at Warehouse in Blantyre then was young after I walked with her there,” the ‘Mabala’ star said.
The musician was a centre of attraction on Saturday at Baf where he performed with his Zembani Band.
Lucius took over the stage from Nepman of the ‘Nalelo’ fame who had his share.
Earlier on, Zembani Band leader Sam Simakweli also performed.
With several festivals coming up in the country, Lucius said the country was making progress.
“We are getting there. It is a slow process, other countries did not just get to where they are with festivals, they have had to perfect themselves after so many years and so it is the same with us but we are in the right direction,” Lucius said.
Having performed at Baf as a headliner alongside Black Missionaries which performed on Sunday, Lucius is now looking ahead to his own festival – Sand Music set for November 1-3 2019 at Kabumba Hotel in Salima.
The festival however, is clashing with a free of charge – Tumaini Festival which is held at Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa.
“We are very prepared. Every year we come out bigger and better. We have musicians from nine different countries including King Sounds from Jamaica. People are buying tickets and early bird tickets have been extended,” Lucius said.
He admitted that people are going through hard times during to the current economic situation but he called on people to patronise Sand Music Festival next month.
Meanwhile, Baf Executive Director, Thom Chibambo has hailed all artists who brightened this year’s festival.
“It has been great throughout and back with the street carnival this year, it was something great where students and different groups showcased the best of arts and culture. We are looking forward to doing more,” Chibambo said.
The festival, however, still has gaps which need urgent attention if it has to be at par with other top festivals in the country.
Some of the gaps included failing to keep time which was a concern to some of the fans and also prolonged sound-checks that kept people waiting for long.
“It is a good festival but they still need to be serious. Issues of time are key for festivals if you are to win the hearts of the audience and again the equipment did not help us especially on the first where some bands failed to give us the best,” Mathews Kampira said.
Part from music performances, there was also theatre performances as well as workshops on different creative arts topics.
