livingstone – Chanters Lodge Livingstone

Folk Night And Papa Zei

Here’s a warm story to touch your hearts on Christmas Eve!

For a long time, a long time ago, I was general manager of what is now ‘Southern Sun Ridgeway Hotel’ in Lusaka. In those 80’s days as plain Ridgeway Hotel we had a fine name for, and a great weekly programme of, entertainment including a ‘Folk Night’ every Tuesday. That was the night we encouraged ‘unknowns’ to perform – often unpaid – for the crowd so they could try and make names for themselves. Many did and plenty of Zambia’s present day famous musicians started with us, including Maureen Lilanda. They were great nights! The audience was unforgiving if they felt an act did not reach the required standard, but equally generous with their applause when it was a good performance. Not all the music was ‘folk’ but it was somehow the right name for the night. The event clearly left its mark on some of the participants, as this touching and amusing letter I received recently goes to show! The ‘Dozy’ mentioned in the letter relates to late ‘Dozy Mu’ (real name Dozia Musakanya) – a stalwart entertainer at the hotel.

“Hello Uncle Richard,

I don’t know if you might remember me from the Ridgeway days considering there were so many of us who passed through your care. There was only one of you so it is easier for us to remember you. The most significant occasion on which we met was when I sang at folk night to make some money for my school fees in 1995 when boarding fees were introduced. Dozy made an announcement and I got donations, including an envelope from you in your office – where you told me that I sang well but talked too much on stage – your words ‘I pay someone else to talk, and you to sing, so do your music and leave it at that.’ (Papa Zei did mention that I might have said ‘cut the crap’ during this conversation but clearly this would not have been part of my vocabulary!!) –

He continued
It was a useful lesson I have kept with me, saving me from offending my “employer” by overstepping the bounds for which I am actually contracted. I was naive as an entertainer then, but I frequented the establishment and got to learn professional standards getting exposure to better musicians from whom I could learn, plus gaining experience in stagemanship.

I finished school and continued with music. I now live in Finland, where I studied media production. I am now in school again studying culture management but I still perform and record. I hope to send you some of my new material soon and visit when I come to Zambia. The purpose of this communication is to acknowledge that contact with you and the work you did for us, in a way that a student would like to show his achievements, and to express gratitude to you for the exposure that set the foundation on which we could build to get to where we are.

Though we did not have much personal contact you represented the form of a guardian figure. You’ll always be loved, and we’ll always be grateful. Hopefully one day I will come and entertain at the lodge, and not talk any crap. Merry Christmas, uncle Richard, and a prosperous new year. May your blessings multiply.”

The writer was Papa Zai (pictured above) and following my reply thanking him for his message he gave me a little more of his history saying “I got into the reggae circuit after a few years at Ridgeway and some hotels in Kabwe and on the Copperbelt. In 1997 I left for Finland and found work on the local reggae circuit. Fortunately I got introduced to the best artists there, some of whom featured me on their albums which helped get my name established. I have curtain-raised for some big names in the reggae business, including the Marley children, and I have also performed in festivals in the Nordic region sharing stages with some of my childhood idols. I have quite a name in Finland and I get a lot of local gigs which has led me to be able to access the rest of Europe as well as quality equipment and skilled players.

Now I am drifting from reggae and bringing in more afro-funk-jazz-calypso influences that I grew up with but being careful not to alienate my fan base. This I feel is more representative of my personal journey as an African. I am now in studio with a band producing a new album.”

Isn’t that nice?

24
DEC

Africa, entertainment, livingstone, music, restaurants, Ridgeway, Zambia

The Experience in Camouflage!

No, we were not in disguise on the latest edition of the ‘Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Kaufela’ but the two young men shown in the picture above, whose real names are Tobias Maliseni (left) and Chisenga Chashi are musicians who go by the name ‘Camouflage’. “How did you come up with that name?” Milli Jam wanted to know at the top of the show, and the boys said the name came about because of the different patterns to their music. They had been together for about 10 years having met at an audition at another radio station in Livingstone when they were schoolboys.

The boys explained that their third album (12 tracks) which will be entitled ‘Chimawama’ meaning ‘It’s Nice’ was scheduled for release in January 2013. We featured one track from the new album on the show – ‘Panga Ishobe’ meaning, apparently, ‘mind your own business’ – or words to that effect. Good track. We also featured their biggest hit ‘Yonse’ – “it’s a national anthem” said Cheeseman. ‘Cheeseman?’ I hear you query – Chisenga’s nickname! Tobias is ‘Toby Zambiano’! smh

Camouflage told listeners that life as young musicians in Zambia is pretty tough. They had in the past played shows with Amayenge, Danny and Burning Youth, all well known Zambian acts. They had also played outside Zambia in Tanzania. They described the biggest obstacles in their career as ‘piracy’ (illegal copying of tracks) and the poor receipts they receive from record producers. In fact they said that the music industry in Zambia is not yet ‘an industry’ as such but it still ‘just art’. They also felt that preference was always given to Lusaka artists on radio in Zambia and artists from Livingstone such as themselves got a ‘raw deal’. Some of the Zambian acts they admire are Nasty D, Danny and Mampi.

Apart from Camouflage’s great tracks we featured music from James Arthur, Rihanna, Sean Kingston and Miguel on the show. The oldie of the week was a Don Williams number (If Hollywood Don’t Need You, Honey I Still Do) and the prize we give away each week of a dinner for two at the lodge, to the first person to text us the name of the artist on the track, was quickly snapped up. Our pick of the week was a more recent country release ‘Goodbye In Your Eyes’ from the Zac Brown Band. We closed with Will.i.am and Britney Spears. Our show is known locally for its great musical mix! You can see why!

Chisenga told listeners that he’s the local chair of Zambia Association of Musicians and was doing his best to improve the lot of his members. Neither of the boys are married but Chisenga has a 10 year old daughter. He likes ragga and Manchester United while Tobias prefers reggae and Chelsea. ‘Oh’ we said. Tobias has a brother who is a presenter on Zambezi 107.7 fm. They were grateful to Contact Trust Youth Association and Kaufela who had both helped with the production of their first album.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time, Toby said he would like to be an entrepreneur owning a record company and to have a hit single, while Chisenga said he hoped to have made Livingstone a better known place.

We are always happy to feature and promote local Livingstone and Zambian artists on our show.

20
DEC

Africa, Chanters, entertainment, livingstone, music, radioshow, recording, Tanzania, Zambia

Mercedes & Miryam Angon Feel ‘The Experience’

Meet Mercedes and Miryam Angon (above) sisters and co-owners of Feeling Africa Ltd, their company that owns and manages North Luangwa Lodge in the North Luangwa National Park in north east Zambia. Mercedes and Miryam live in the house next door to Chanters Lodge in Livingstone, so they were naturals to be invited to appear as Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela. That’s our weekly radio show airing every Sunday night on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station.

Miryam and Mercedes told listeners that they had established their business in Zambia two years’ ago and that they originally hailed from Madrid, Spain. They had left well paid and exciting jobs with MTV and Universal Pictures respectively to come to Zambia. “Why?” We wondered in astonishment. “Because we’re Spanish, crazy and love wildlife!” Was the answer. The ladies explained that their lodge is only open for six months per year, so they spend six months there and six months in Livingstone. Their lodge has four bungalows and prices start from around US$250-300 per person per night all inclusive of food, drink, accommodation and game drives. They described the North Luangwa as ‘wild and exciting’.

The music on the show was up to our usual high standard. We played tracks from Rihanna and Pitbull for openers before Milli Jam moved on with Zambian releases from Dandy Crazy and B1. Songs from John Legend and Kelly Rowland followed. This week’s oldie was Rihanna’s ‘Te Amo’ – much easier than last week and we had a flurry of text messages from listeners correctly telling us the name of the artist in the hope of winning dinner for two at the lodge. Patrick won. Our pick of the week was ‘When I Was Your Man’ a lovely ballad from Bruno Mars featured on his latest album ‘Unorthodox Jukebox’. We closed with Gabrielle Aplin’s No 1 ‘John Lewis’ hit the remake of Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s ‘The Power Of Love’.

Miryam and Mercedes told listeners that they were single ladies without children and that they both loved music. One of the aspects of their previous lives in Spain that they really missed was going to concerts and shows as they used to receive free tickets. They had seen many top acts as well as meeting many stars like footballer Christiano Ronaldo and tennis ace Rafael Nadal. We asked them about bull fighting – they hated it. We asked them about tourist activities in Livingstone – Miryam had done the bungee jump while Mercedes likes white water rafting.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing ten years from now, these bubbly, lively, interesting ladies said they wanted still to be in Zambia, single and ‘Feeling Livingstone’ their proposed new project. We wished them the very best of luck as the rain poured down outside the studio!

12
DEC

activities, Africa, Chanters, entertainment, entrepreneurship, innovation, livingstone, music, radioshow, Spain, travel, wildlife, Zambia

Feeling Africa

Guests on tomorrow night’s radio show are the Angon sisters from Feeling Africa Ltd. Learn more next week when we publish the blog following the show – especially about their camp in the North Luangwa!

Feeling Africa Ltd team is based in Livingstone, only 10 kms away from the wonderful Victoria Falls on Zambian side. They are much more than a travel agency, offering safaris is not their job, it’s their way of life : feeling the wild Africa. They do not expect you just looking at the surroundings, they want you to really experience all the emotions of this special part of the world and hope you always keep in your mind those feelings.

These are the ladies:

MERCHE ANGÓN
From Madrid, Spain, in love with Nature and active protecting and defending animal rights. She left her job in a big movies company to make her dream comes true : living in Africa, among the wild animals and waking up every morning with the sounds of the wild.

MIRYAM ANGÓN
The youngest of the team, she discovered and fell in love with Africa while cooperating in a Jane Goodall Institute project in Sénégal, helping the anthropologist Jill Pruetz. Then she worked as an Overland guide in Uganda and Rwanda. Now, she spends most of her time in Zambia, in love with Africa’s animals and smiles !

MARIE NOËLLE CARRÉ
French with African roots, found of nature and wild open spaces, traveling throughout Africa since she was a child. She left her job as project manager to go back to the continent she came from, feeling the freedom with the wild life.

8
DEC

Africa, livingstone, radioshow, Spain, wildlife, Zambia

Room Renovations

During the course of 2012 at Chanters Lodge we are proud that we have managed to renovate 3 of our 11 rooms and some pictures of the renovated rooms are shown.

The first room to come under the hammer was room 3. This room was one of the three original rooms with which we opened the lodge in 1998, and at that time was the best of the lot. It is a standard sized double room with one double bed but with enough space to pop in an extra three quarter sized bed if required. The bathroom was stripped and a new bathroom suite installed followed by complete re-tiling of floor and walls. The bathroom contains a separate shower cubicle which was also re-tiled. New taps and plumbing were installed throughout. The rate for this room next year will be a very reasonable US$75 per room per night including English breakfast, free transfers within Livingstone on arrival and departure if required, as well as free wifi (subject to availability). Single rate US$59 per room per night, inclusive as above.

We have also renovated two of our spacious rooms which back on to Lukulu Crescent. These rooms were the first additional rooms we constructed, built in 2004 they have had a lot of wear and tear as they are often used by families with young children. The rooms are spacious enough to accommodate one and sometimes two extra beds and all that moving furniture takes its toll! The rooms renovated are numbers 4 and 7 on either end of the block, each have a double and a three quarter bed as standard. These rooms have shower and wc but no bath. They are ideal for Guests travelling with their own vehicles as cars can be parked right outside the rooms, motel style.

We have replaced the old wash hand basin with a new pedestal basin with matching toilet and cistern in the shower rooms, as well as installing new taps and plumbing fittings. The shower rooms have been retiled throughout. In addition we have completely re-tiled the expansive bedroom floors.

The 2013 rate for these rooms will be as follows:

2 persons           ZK445 (US$89)
3 or 4 persons   ZK495 (US$99)
1 person             ZK350 (US$70)

All rates are per room per night and include English breakfast, free transfers within Livingstone on arrival and departure if required, as well as free wifi (subject to availability). The rooms can comfortably accommodate 2 adults and at least 3 children in which case the rate will remain at US$99.

A big thank you to Mr Turner (plumbing and electrical), Mr Benson (tiler) and Mr Andrew Phiri (carpenter and painter) who undertook the work for the lodge. As a matter of interest the total cost of renovations has been about US$10,000.

During 2013 we hope to complete the renovations of the remaining two Lukulu Crescent rooms.
We also hope to tile the floor of the restaurant terrace and install new furniture, fans and light fittings.

4
DEC

accommodation, Africa, Chanters, infrastructure, innovation, livingstone, rates, Zambia

Justin Brinkhoff on ‘The Experience’

Meet Justin Brinkhoff (above) from Denver, Colorado. Colorado was a ‘swing state’ in the recent US election and also one of the states that legalized the social smoking of marijuana in a vote at the same time. “What did you think of the election?” we asked Justin when he appeared as a Guest on the most recent edition of The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela. (That’s our regular Sunday night radio show on local radio in Livingstone). “We were happy Obama won” replied Justin “and the vote on marijuana was somehow a natural progression, as the drug was already allowed in Colorado for medical purposes, we’re not yet sure how the law will be implemented.”

Justin told listeners that he worked for Visa, the credit card company, but revealed that the company did not give him an unlimited free credit card with which to go on holiday (surprise, surprise!) He’s a computer programmer and he revealed that he was in Zambia with his wife Rebekah who was resting back at Chanters Lodge where they were staying. Before coming to Livingstone they had spent a fantastic week in the South Luangwa National Park, staying at Flatdogs. During their safaris they had seen four of the ‘big five’. They had not seen rhino but had made up for this by taking the rhino walk with Bwaato Adventures in Livingstone the previous day, they had seen all nine rhino in the Mosi-o-Tunya NP and had been thrilled! The day of the show, Justin and Rebekah had taken the one day safari to Chobe NP in Botswana and had seen an amazing number of elephant and crocodile – as you usually do in Chobe.

Milli Jam wanted to know Justin’s musical tastes and he revealed that he’s still very much into 80’s rock, loving bands like Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Guns and Roses and AC/DC. On this show we featured tracks by Bruno Mars, Example, Exile and Nalu, Mr Vezzy, Rihanna ft Chris Brown and Alicia Keys. Our oldie of the week was by Zambian artists Amayange and the prize for guessing the artists on the track – ‘Dyress’ was quickly snapped up by text, and once again we had a great response. My pick of the week was Tulisa’s ‘Live Your Life’ and we closed with Carrie Underwood’s ‘Two Black Cadillacs’ – after a little presenter confusion!

Justin revealed that when he and Rebekah, a project engineer in a construction company back in America, had been in the Luangwa Valley they had spent one day volunteering in one of the local schools in Mfue and they had loved the experience, relating well to the children who had sung and danced for them! It was their first time to come to Africa. They hoped to spend some time in Zimbabwe and South Africa after leaving Zambia. Justin revealed that they had first met on a blind date organized by his brother in law and that he and Rebekah had been married for two years.

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing in ten years’ time Justin replied that he and Rebekah would like to be travelling full time with their children! “Get in” we said!

23
NOV

activities, Africa, Botswana, Chanters, children, entertainment, guests, livingstone, rsa, South Luangwa, tourism, usa, wildlife, Zambia

Brian Suto & Jen Gase rock ‘The Experience’!

What do the average Washington DC investment adviser (with Charles Schwab ) and partner, an IT project manager, do on their Sunday night in Livingstone, Zambia just 10 kms away from the mighty Victoria Falls? Why, appear on the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela of course! That’s our regular Sunday night radio show airing weekly between 20.30 and 21.30 hrs on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. Joking apart we were delighted that Brian Suto and Jen Gase (pictured above), our Guests at Chanters Lodge, agreed to appear on our show. Lively and interesting Guests they were too.

Brian and Jen told listeners that although they’d only arrived in Livingstone at lunch time the previous day, on their first afternoon they’d already taken the sunset cruise on the Zambezi on Lady Livingstone which they’d thoroughly enjoyed. On the morning of the show they’d been to Mukuni Big 5 for the lion encounter and then walked out to Livingstone Island to swim in Devil’s Pool, which they described as ‘stunning’. The following day they were scheduled for a half day’s white water rafting before they left Chanters for the Zambezi Waterfront to link up with G Adventures. They explained that they were booked for an eight day camping overland trip with Gap, taking them from Zimbabwe to Johannesburg via Kruger NP. “Looking forward to it?” George, the host for the day, wanted to know. “We are” replied Brian “but I’m not too sure about the camping.” Jen gave a knowing laugh. “Washington investment adviser camping?” She seemed to be thinking, sure……

George wanted to know if the couple lived near the White House and our Guests said that they lived just 10kms away. Had they met President Obama? We wanted to know, they had not, but they hoped to and were delighted he had won the election. So were we. Music wise Brian told listeners he was into rap, whereas Jen liked softer music such as Mumford and Sons. On this show we featured tracks from The Wanted as well as Christina Aguilera at the top of the show. Zambian tracks were from T-Sean and Zone Fam, which we followed up with offerings from Lana del Rey and Keri Hilson. Our oldie of the week was Danny’s ‘Could I Be’ and we had a great response from listeners by text telling us who was singing the track – all trying to win dinner for two at the lodge. Vuuka won.

Asked where they’d met, Brian and Jen said it had been in Florida where they’d been working for the same company. “Was it love at first sight?” George wanted to know “not really” seemed to be the reply. They told listeners they’d been married for two years. Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing 10 years from now, Jen said she wanted still to have Brian by her side along with 2+ children, Brian seemed to want to be running a small lodge somewhere other than in America – as you do when you’re an investment adviser!!

15
NOV

Africa, Chanters, entertainment, livingstone, music, politics, radioshow, rafting, rsa, tourism, travel, usa, wildlife, Zambia

Chin-i Cavaly

“This is the third time I’ve been on this show” said Chin-i Cavaly (pictured above) when he appeared on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela. That’s our regular Sunday night radio show airing from 20.30 hrs – 21.30 hrs on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s established local radio station. “That’s because you’re such a star!” I said. “Why are you called Chin-i Cavaly?” asked Milli Jam thoroughly unimpressed with our Guest’s boasting! “Because I’m bad news on radio” was the humble reply. Chin-i (real name Isaac Mwanza) is one of Milli Jam’s co-presenters on Zambezi 107.7 fm, although he is far more than that for the station. He is responsible for their great website and for a lot of the other IT requirements of a busy local radio station.

Chin-i told listeners that apart from his IT duties and helping to organize the station for the incoming link with the BBC, he is currently hosting Drive Time on 107.7 fm Monday to Friday from 15.00 to 17.00 hrs, one of the most popular shows on the station. We were happy to hear that according to Google the Chanters Lodge Experience also has great listener statistics. Chin hosts the hot 30 count down on Saturday nights and is always right up to date on the latest music, especially rap, hip-hop and R&B. On this show he was raving about the new Kendrick Lemar album, ‘good kid, M.A.A.D city’. Not my scene but it takes all sorts, as they say. On the Zambian scene T-Sean is Chin’s current favourite artist and indeed we featured one of his tracks on our show.

Apart from T-Sean with Joe Chibangu and T-Boy’s hit track ’90 Days’ we featured Ruff Kid with his hit ‘Mu Ghetto’ noting that the Kid won the BEEFTA Award the previous week in London in the best international artist category, up against stiff opposition including DBanj. As usual we featured top hits from the UK charts including Robbie Williams’ ‘Candy’ and Wiley featuring Skepta, TME and Ms D with ‘Can You Hear Me (Aya Ya Ya)’. Milli Jam featured tracks by Rihanna and ‘Swimming Pools (Drank) by Kendrick Lemar. Our oldie of the week was Beyonce’s ‘Halo’ and the prize of dinner for two at the lodge to the first person to text us the name of the performing artist was quickly snapped up.

Chin-i told listeners that he had recently spent time in Queensland, Australia with his brother and was very much hoping to go back to continue his studies in IT, he was currently waiting for his student visa to re-enter Australia. He also revealed his love for a nurse in Livingstone whom he hoped to marry, this is all we were told!! He explained that he is an Arsenal supporter through and through and that his favourite all time player was Thierry Henry. We avoided discussion about Arsenal’s current form!

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing in 10 years’ time, this intelligent, hard working, talented young man said he would like to be married, living in Australia, fully qualified in IT with a successful career. I certainly wouldn’t bet against that!

9
NOV

Africa, Arsenal, Australia, entertainment, livingstone, music, radioshow, technology, Zambia

Norwegian Students On ‘The Experience’

Meet the three delightful students we have staying at Chanters Lodge, Livingstone, Zambia for a few weeks, undertaking their practicals at Libala Basic School in Livingstone. All three are in their final year at University of Tromso in Norway, studying for a degree in teaching. From left to right in the picture above, Ellen Marie Steen, Bjorn Danielsen and Lillian Ballo as they appeared last Sunday on the latest edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient. That’s our regular Sunday night radio show airing on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. The show airs from 20.30 to 21.30 live, and sort of streams on the internet too!

These young, intelligent and energetic Norwegians told listeners that Tromso, where they are at University, is a very cold place in the winter situated as it is in the furthest north of Norway near the Arctic Circle. “How are you coping with this Livingstone heat?” Milli Jam, our programme host, wondered. “We are happy to have air-conditioning and a swimming pool at Chanters Lodge” they replied with feeling! “Are you enjoying the interaction with the Zambian children at your school?” Milli Jam wondered. “Very much” they said, adding that they found the Zambian children very well disciplined even though the school classes were much larger than those in Norway.

The music on the show was right up to date as usual, featuring at the top of the show the current UK number one ‘Beneath Your Beautiful’ from Labrinth and Emeli Sande, back to back with Tyler James – Single Tear. Tracks from Judy, B-Flow, Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber and Bastille followed. We kept a promise to make our oldie of the week very easy on this show – we give away a dinner for two every week to the first person to text us telling us who’s singing on the track – and we dropped Lionel Richie and Diana Ross with ‘Endless Love’. The prize was won in a matter of seconds! We closed the show with Bruno Mars and Young Wild Girls.

Milli Jam wanted to know if the students had had any time for tourist activities and they replied that so far they had been working very hard, although they had been to see Victoria Falls and had taken a sunset cruise on the Zambezi. Later during their stay they intended to go white water rafting, on safari to Chobe in Botswana and to swim in Devil’s Pool on Livingstone Island. Bjorn was toying with the idea of bungee jumping, the girls were not! “Are you married?” Milli Jam wondered. Giggles. “No replied Ellen but I’m dating a music student in Norway”. “My boyfriend’s a builder” said Lillian. Bjorn told listeners that he was young, single and free! “Get in girls!” Milli Jam told our audience.

“What do you think of Zambian food” Milli Jam wondered, and to our surprise these Norwegian youngsters replied “we love eating crocodile meat!” “Eish!” said I. Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time Lillian replied that she would like to be married with three children and a pop star! (Not so outlandish seeing she already has three singles released in Norway). Bjorn wanted to be happy, taking life one day at a time and enjoying an adventurous life. Ellen Marie said she was very bad at planning her life and felt that Bjorn’s ideas were excellent!

1
NOV

Africa, Botswana, Chanters, education, entertainment, food, guests, livingstone, Norway, radioshow, recording, travel, victoriafalls, Zambia

Scarlet

George Da Soulchild-kaufela, co-host of our Sunday night radio show on Zambezi 107.7 fm, reports:

Scarlet: Joss Stone, Jill Scott, India Arie, Maureen Lilanda, Yvonne Chaka Chaka all rolled into one!

Scarlet (real names Jemimah Lerato Chulu) was born on the 6th July 1987 in Lusaka Zambia, to Zambian parents Wonder and Felicity Chulu. She is the first born in a family of seven girls. She grew up in Lusaka attending Nkhwazi Primary School and Mpelembe Secondary School up to 2002. She completed her O’ levels in 2003 and then went on to attend the University of Zambia from where she graduated in 2008 at the age of 21 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, with a major in Linguistics. In 2010 she began to study for a Bachelor of Laws degree which she is yet to complete.

Her first experiences with music involved singing hymns with her mother as a little child. She has clear memories of the jazz music her father played in the house when she was young. Scarlet first sang in church when she was 14 but her real experiences with music began in 2010 when she took part in the reality show, The Ultimate Slinger produced by Chali Mulalami of Slingbeats in Lusaka. After the show ended she began recording at So’ Good Entertainment founded by her uncle Lukundo Siwale and family friend Chifumbe Sikazweh, as their first female recording artist.

Initially managed by Jamiel Banda, formerly known as “A Deejay Called Scratch” of Radio Phoenix Zambia, she went on to record a number of singles that enjoy considerable airplay on local stations. It was under his stewardship that she began to perform on different platforms and formed the afro jazz, soul and oldies band called Black Note. Scarlet also began work on her first studio album containing songs written in English, French, Nyanja, Bemba, Nsenga, Zulu and Shona, to be released this year titled “Unforgettably Yours”. She wrote most of the project herself but was assisted on the vernacular tracks by her producer James Sakala.The first single off the album titled “Tino Fara” was released in May 2012 and the second, “MunisungileBanja” in August and the third titled, “Heartsong”is scheduled for release in October.

Scarlet has since completed work on the album which is scheduled for release later on this year. She is now working on becoming a recognised part of the live music circuit in Lusaka before she ventures into the other areas of Zambia and abroad. Other endeavours in the pipeline include television appearances and radio shows. She is currently managed by her mother and has partnered with the promoting skills of Duncan Sodala who is also the manager and promoter of the renowned Zambian rap group Zone Fam.

Scarlet is currently an ambassador for the Maureen Lilanda Art Beat Centre, the Girls Stand Up Mentorship Program based in Livingstone and is a judge and talent scout on the reality television series Dreams, produced by Power Media Zambia in partnership with the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC.) Other upcoming projects include a women’s radio show on one of Zambia’s biggest radio stations and other television appearances.

20
OCT

Africa, entertainment, livingstone, music, Zambia

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