Zambia – Chanters Lodge Livingstone

Staff Motivation

A great short piece from Inc written by Peter Economy is on the spot for managers! The picture is two of our long serving staff at Chanters Lodge appearing as Guests on our local radio show.

1. Interesting Work
No one wants to do the same boring job over and over, day after day. Though a certain amount of routine and repetition is part of almost every job, make sure each employee finds at least part of his or her job highly interesting. As management theorist Frederick Herzberg put it, “If you want someone to do a good job, give them a good job to do.” Find out which tasks your employees most enjoy and use that information when you make future assignments.

2. Information
Information really is power, and your employees want to be empowered with the information they need to do their jobs better and more effectively. And, more than ever, employees want to know how they are doing in their jobs and how the company is doing in its business. Open the channels of communication so that employees are well informed, can ask questions, and can share information. Be transparent, honest, and forthright. Those qualities will have a direct impact on employees’ effectiveness.

3. Involvement
As the speed of business continues to increase, the amount of time you have to make decisions continues to decrease. Involving employees in decision making, especially when the decisions affect them directly, is both respectful and practical. Those closest to the problem typically have the best insight as to what to do. Involving others will increase their commitment and speed the implementation of new ideas or changes.

4. Independence
Few employees want their every action to be closely watched and monitored, or for their every decision to be questioned or micromanaged. Most employees appreciate having the flexibility to do their jobs as they see fit and to make decisions independently. Giving people latitude increases the chance that they will bring additional initiative, ideas, and energy to their jobs.

5. Increased Visibility
Everyone appreciates getting credit when it is due. Occasions to celebrate employee successes are almost limitless, and you should never let one pass. One of the best and most highly motivating forms of recognition is to give your employees new opportunities to perform, learn, and grow in response to their recent achievements. They will always rise to the occasion, becoming even more engaged, productive, and effective.

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APR

Africa, inc, management, radioshow, staff, Zambia

Mike and Anne Gough

Meet Anne and Mike Gough (above), Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay Hillz. ‘The Experience’ is our weekly radio show airing every Sunday night from 20.30-21.30 hrs on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. Teachers both, Mike works at The Arnewood School, New Milton, Hampshire in UK while wife Anne is at The Island Learning Centre on the Isle of Wight. Mike is also head of the IT centre at Arnewood as well as the international co-ordinator. Anne’s learning centre helps children with learning difficulties prepare for a return to ‘regular’ school.

“How long have you been married?” Milli Jam asked at the top of the show, Mike sighed (though he denied it) and replied “thirty five years”. Anne and Mike told listeners that they have three daughters and one seven year old grandson – clearly the apple of his grandparents’ eye!

The Goughs explained that they were in this country to research a proposed trip to Zambia for Arnewood students in 2016. They were planning to bring a group of 12/15 youngsters for a month. They told listeners that the students’ itinerary would hopefully include time spent at Hillcrest School in Livingstone with Hillcrest students later travelling to UK on an exchange basis. There would be time spent working at the Butterfly Tree projects at Mukuni Village, building structures with money raised by the students in UK for the project. There would be a safari in Botswana as part of the trip and a week spent volunteering at lion encounter.
Mike and Anne told listeners they had arranged many successful trips in the past to countries as varied as Bolivia, Siberia and Tibet. There was a lot of work involved in planning, as well as selling the trip to prospective students and parents.

The music on the show was good with latest hit tracks from Sigma, The Vamps, David Guetta and Ed Sheeran. Jay and Milli Jam chose recordings from One Direction, Chris Brown and Zambian artists Eddy and Judy. Our oldie of the week was Brook Hogan’s ‘For A Moment’ and the prize we give to the first person to text us telling us the name of the performing artist was won by Mitch, who earned himself dinner for two with drinks at the lodge.

Mike revealed that he was a Liverpool supporter which pleased Jay who is too, and these people spent time congratulating each other on that afternoon’s win again Manchester City. Milli Jam and I were rather irked by this mutual admiration, and felt pleased that the lovely Anne had no interest whatsoever in football. As a couple Mike and Anne love cricket and are executive members at Hampshire County Cricket Club.

They told listeners that they had returned from a two day safari in Botswana that afternoon, they had very much enjoyed the outing and had been lucky to see a vast array of wildlife including lion and, Anne’s favourite, warthogs. They hoped to have time to do some of the many other tourist activities available around Victoria Falls during their stay, but ruled out the bungee jump!

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time Anne said she would like to be on the silk trail exploring China, while Mike wanted to be revisiting communities he and his students had helped in the past, in different countries around the world. We thanked this interesting happy couple for guesting on the show and wished them well in the planning for their trip. We looked forward to welcoming some of their students as Guests on our programme in a couple of years’ time!

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APR

Africa, broadcasting, Chanters, education, entertainment, football, livingstone, music, radioshow, uk, victoriafalls, volunteers, Zambia

Proflight & Kenya Airways

Lusaka-based regional airline Proflight Zambia has signed an interline agreement with Kenya Airways that will enable passengers to travel across the networks of both airlines with a single booking.

Under the agreement, customers will be able to purchase joint Proflight Zambia-Kenya Airways itineraries and will be issued with a single combined ticket. This will enable seamless connections to and from Proflight’s ten domestic destinations: Lusaka, Ndola, Livingstone, Mfuwe, Solwezi, Chipata, Mansa, Kasama, Lower Zambezi and Mongu, as well as its two international routes, Lilongwe in Malawi and Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania.

It will also enable Proflight customers to book flights to over 60 destinations within the Kenya Airways network from its hub in Nairobi, Kenya. The move should draw more leisure and business travels to Zambia, and facilitate wider travel options for passengers from Zambia looking to travel internationally.

“We welcome Kenya Airways passengers to the Proflight network in Zambia, and look forward to a long and happy partnership between the two airlines,” said Captain Philip Lemba, Proflight Director of Government and Industry Affairs.

Customers will enjoy a range of added benefits, including special fares on itineraries across the two airlines.

14
APR

Africa, airlines, Kenya, Lusaka, Malawi, Tanzania, tourism, transport, travel, Zambia

The Massaj Experience!

Meet Davison Munsanda Junior, better known to Livingstone residents, especially club goers, as Pivot Massaj, well known DJ, MC as well as clearing and forwarding agent, pictured above centre with Jay-Hillz (left) and Milli Jam (right). Pivot was our Guest on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay-Hillz, our regular Sunday night radio show airing at 20.30 hours for an hour every week on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station.

Pivot told listeners that he had chosen the stage name ‘Pivot’ because he felt at the time that the music scene in Livingstone revolved around the music he was playing in clubs, and the rap he was singing in shows. He added ‘Massaj’ because his music soothes the nerves as well as the soul. He is not a young man ‘backward in coming forward’ as my late mother might have said! Currently he is studying events management, whilst being a regular DJ at East Point, one of Livingstone’s most popular night spots, located near the temporary bus station close to the old North Western Hotel. He is also working in the family’s clearing and forwarding business.”How do you find time to do all that you do”? Milli Jam wondered and Pivot’s quick reply was “99 Jobs”! He was referring to a hot Zambian hit of that name recorded by Chef 187 about the need for young Zambians to move from one job to another every day to make a living!

Pivot went on to explain that when he first started in the music business his family had been very keen to for him to have a ‘proper job’ and although he’d initially resisted the call, later he’d been obliged to work for the family’s clearing and forwarding agency ‘to keep the peace’. “What’s your biggest problem”? Milli Jam wondered. “Getting enough sleep!” Replied Pivot.

The music on the show was great. We opened as usual with ‘Hey Brother’ from Avicii, quickly followed, after the introductions, by Aloe Blacc’s ‘The Man’ and John Martin’s first solo single ‘Anywhere For You’. We followed with tracks from Kapansa, Rihanna, Daft Punk featuring Jay-Z as well as Mampi, one of Zambia’s hottest singing divas. The track we featured was ‘Nikutantule’.

No-one won the prize we give each week to the first person to text us the name of the artist on our oldie of the week, we featured ‘Bird On A Wire’ from The Neville Brothers. Not even Man U supporters! Our pick of the week was The Wanted’s ‘Glow In The Dark’.

Milli Jam wondered which UK football team supported but when he said ‘Man U’ our presenter quickly moved on to a different subject, wondering whether Pivot was married. He replied that he was spoken for and that he had both a girl friend and a child. This caused some ladies to post on our Facebook page demanding that Pivot should ‘name the girlfriend’ – he failed to do so! We wondered what was the biggest event for which Pivot had been the MC and he replied that a function for the UNWTO general meeting in Livingstone in 2013 had been the biggest. He named his greatest inspiration as our very own Milli Jam explaining to listeners that it was he Milli Jam who had given him his first chance as a DJ and taught him the job. Milli Jam was chuffed to bits!

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing in ten years’ time, Pivot said that he would like to be marketing the country outside Zambia ‘on a bigger platform’, that his future was in God’s hands and that he wished to avoid a lot of the health hazards around in Zambia for the sake of his daughter.
It was a pleasure to welcome this self-confident, hard working, personable young man as the Guest on our show.

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APR

Africa, broadcasting, Business, education, energy, entertainment, entrepreneurship, football, livingstone, music, radioshow, training, Zambia

The Mark Namakando Experience!

We were happy to introduce a young Zambian musician to our audience when Mark Namakando (above) was our Guest on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay-Hillz. Our show airs every Sunday evening at 20.30 hrs for an hour on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. The show is a lively mixture of music and chat, hosted by one of Livingstone’s best loved DJ’s – Milli Jam, ably assisted by up and coming Jay Hillz, co-host of 107.7 fm’s popular Breakfast Show.

Mark told listeners that he is a rap artist and that he mostly performs with another young artist known as PMT – they perform under the name of ‘3 Lettered Kings’. The boys have so far recorded about seven tracks. Mark explained that he raps mostly in English but sometimes in his native Lozi language ‘about how I look at life and society, as well as how I feel’. “Do you rap about relationships?” Milli Jam wondered. “Not yet” came the reply. “Are you in a relationship?” MJ persevered with this line of questions and shyly Mark admitted that yes he was. He revealed his age as 20 and told us that he had completed Grade 12 at Hillcrest Technical Secondary School in Livingstone. (One of Livingstone’s best secondary schools). After Grade 12 Mark had studied for a certificate in marketing from a Livingstone college.

As Mark had revealed to listeners that one of his Zambian musical influences was CRISIS, the guys dropped his latest ‘That’s The Way It Is’ on the show. We also played tracks from Davido, Chris Brown ft Aliyah, General Ozzy, Sam Smith, Martin Garrix, 5 Seconds of Summer and Faul ft Wa Dad vs Pneu.

Mark revealed that he, like Jay Hillz, is a big fan of Liverpool FC in UK and both were delighted that their team had that evening risen to the top of the EPL. They were totally convinced that the team could stay there until the end of the season and become champions. Mark and Jay Hillz revealed they had met as co-members of Zambezi 107.7 fm’s ‘Fan Club’, when they had auditioned for the station on the same day. They had remained firm friends ever since. Mark told us that after his marketing course he had spent some time on attachment with Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation in sales, but had found it tough selling advertising on the national broadcaster to small Livingstone companies. Although they had wanted him to continue after his attachment he had decided to stop and help run the family business.

Still single and the youngest of nine siblings, Mark said that in ten years’ time he hoped to be his own boss, to have started his own business and to have finished his marketing studies, as well as being a big success in music. We wished this personable, likeable, hard working young man all the best in the future and thanked him for appearing on our show.

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APR

Africa, Business, livingstone, marketing, music, radioshow, victoriafalls, Zambia

The Swimming Experience!

We were delighted to welcome Ian Newell (above), international swimming coach and Chief Coach at Shiverers Swimming Club in Brighton (“Hove actually!” Ian corrected us) as Guest on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay-Hillz, our regular weekly Sunday night radio show airing from 20.30 to 21.30 hrs on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station.

Ian explained to listeners that he was in Livingstone for the weekend, on a break from helping Lusaka Dolphins Swimming Club coach swimmers likely to be in the Zambian team taking part in the Africa Games in Uganda next April. It was Ian’s first time in Zambia, first time in Africa and of course his first time to see the magnificent Victoria Falls. He told us that he would be in the country for a total of about two weeks. He had been comfortable staying at Chanters Lodge and had thoroughly enjoyed the Lady Livingstone sunset cruise on his first afternoon, as well as a microlight flight over the falls during his stay. He had eaten a fantastic high tea at the Royal Livingstone Hotel that very afternoon, and had loved the view from their deck, of the spray from the Falls spreading right across the mighty Zambezi.

Milli Jam wanted to know how the connection had been made between Shiverers Swimming Club in UK and Lusaka Dolphins thousands of miles away in Lusaka. Ian said that it had come about due to a Zambian family visiting UK being allowed to temporarily join Shiverers and train during their stay, and subsequently issuing an invitation to Ian to come to Zambia. Ian told us that he had been a swimming coach for a total of about 45 years having been a good swimmer in his youth before turning to coaching as a career. Jay and Milli Jam wanted to know why generally white people seemed to be better at swimming than black people, and Ian explained that it came down to their different muscle length and bone structure required to become top class swimmers. Ian mentioned that he now had several up and coming black swimmers under his wing at Shiverers.

The music on the show was good, featuring tracks from Enrique Iglesias, Duke Dumont, T-Pain, Roberto and Kanji (both Zambian artists) as well as Tyga. Our oldie of the week was a track from JK and the prize we give to the first person to text us the name of the performing artist was quickly snapped up! My pick of the week was Sia’s ‘Chandelier’.

Ian told listeners that he had never been married and did not have children, he blamed these facts on the intensity of his career – his features only slightly tinged with regret. He clearly regards his swimmers as his ‘children’ and delights in their success all the way up to Olympic standard. He has several youngster whom he thinks may well go all the way to the top of the sport in future. Ian loves football as well as swimming and said he supports his local club Brighton and Hove Albion, as well as Manchester United. We moved quickly on. His musical tastes go mostly back to the 60’s. He’s a fan of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing in ten years’ time, Ian told listeners that as 2024 would be an Olympic year, he would like to be wherever the games would be held with two or three swimmers from Shiverers and some Zambian swimmers competing in the Games!

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MAR

activities, Africa, awards, Brighton, broadcasting, education, entertainment, football, helicopter, livingstone, Lusaka, music, radioshow, training, travel, wildlife, youth, Zambia

DJ Obby Sims

Meet DJ Obby Sims, (above) leading DJ and supervisor at Livingstone’s hottest night club East Point, and guest on the most recent edition of our weekly Sunday night radio show, the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay Hillz. Obby’s real name? Obrien Simbwalanga, Tonga by tribe! ‘The Experience’ is sponsored weekly by Chanters Lodge and airs for a hour every Sunday at 20.30 hrs on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s best loved local radio station. The show is popular with local residents, partly because it offers the chance to win dinner for two at the lodge, to the first person to text us the name of the artist on our regular ‘oldie of the week’ spot. The prize on this show was quickly snapped up when we dropped Tina Turner’s classic ‘I Don’t Wanna Lose You’.

Obby told listeners that he had been DJ at East Point for about two years since the hot spot opened, prior to which he had been at Fairmount Hotel in Livingstone as entertainment manager. He still regarded the Fairmount disco as East Point’s major competition especially since their recent renovations. He recounted to listeners how he had started in the entertainment business in Lusaka at Moon City night club in the 80’s with the help of the late Eddy Groove who had taught him how to DJ with vinyl – “nothing like CD decks in those days!” He said. (This stirred some of your writer’s memories!) Later Obby had worked at Lusaka’s huge Black Velvet night club. This was a controversial place in the end, but in its’ heyday it had held more than 1200 revelers at one time! After working for Hanif Adams and Clouds in Lusaka, later Obby had come back to Livingstone and, as mentioned, started work with the Fairmount Hotel.

The music on this show was good. We opened with latest hits from Tinie Tempah and the Chainsmokers. Milli Jam and Jay chose tracks from Stevo, Shaggy featuring Ne-Yo, Lorde and Karasa with Cleo Ice featuring Zone Fam. Our pick of the week was ‘Dangerous Love’ from Fuse OGD featuring Sean Paul, and we closed with a hit from Enrique Iglesias’s latest album.

Obby sadly revealed that his fiancee had passed away the previous month and that he was still enduring the grieving process. He did not have any children. He also told us proudly that he had done the bungee jump and that he was a regular on sunset cruises on the Zambezi. His football team is Arsenal (as shown by the above photo!) and his favourite all time player Thierry Henry. He was really hoping his team would win the FA Cup this year. His favourite music is tracks from the 80’s and 90’s – his favourite international artist the late Michael Jackson, Petersen his Zambian pick. We were surprised at the latter choice as his first cousin is B1 – also a famous Zambian musician.

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing in ten years’ time (Milli Jam’s favourite question to our weekly guest) Obby said he would like to be in Livingstone, running his own club with his own workers, married to a beautiful woman and to have lovely children. We wished him the best of luck and told him to keep on rocking his patrons!

20
MAR

activities, Africa, Arsenal, broadcasting, entertainment, football, livingstone, Lusaka, radioshow, renovation, victoriafalls, zambezi, Zambia

Scarlet – An Interview

George Mukwita, former co-presenter of the Chanters Lodge Experience and now Lusaka student and socialite recently caught up with the beautiful and talented 26 year old Zambian born and bred singer, songwriter, performing artist, radio presenter, blogger, poet and goodwill ambassador for the Kayula Childhood Cancer Foundation, known simply as Scarlet.

The first time George met her was about four years ago in 2010 at So Good Studio, she had just recorded her first song – hearing her voice for the first time he knew there and then she was destined for greatness! Here’s their recent conversation:

George: Congratulations on all your success, what are the things you know now that you wish you’d known before you released your debut album?
Scarlet: The difference good mixing and mastering makes when you’re creating a project, and that rushing to finish makes the end result not uniform. I also wish I’d known how hard I would need to work to promote myself outside my comfort zone!

George: What do you miss most about being less famous than you were?
Scarlet: I used to have a lot more privacy without trying or hiding. I miss that privacy – now I have to be careful about everything I do and say, where I go, what I wear, and with whom I associate.

George: Since you came into public consciousness as a singer/songwriter how different has life been for you?
Scarlet : Life has changed a lot. I have met so many amazing people and been exposed to so much that is new. I’ve also had to do a lot of growing up. I’ve been inspired by so many things and I’ve really learned the meaning of humility. I’ve had to give up stuff too, but I’m not complaining – I love what I do.

George: Talk me through the experience of writing, recording and finally releasing your first album.
Scarlet: We put together what we thought was a clear representation of my full body of work from 2010 to 2012. There were a lot of songs to choose from. I worked with Mutamula Mwale to choose the best tracks. Kangwa from Mfumu Designs and Dominic from Yoka did my album art and sent everything off to South Africa. We had to organize the album launches and listening parties and to do all the radio and TV promotion work. It was a fun journey. I can’t wait to do it all again, especially now that I’ve learned so much!

George: What was the most difficult song to write and record?
Scarlet: “Nulundilila” because it’s in Nsenga and it has a lot of words as well as a complicated rhythm pattern.

George: Any personal songs on the album? Did you dedicate any song to anyone?
Scarlet: “Remember Me” was for Luchi from Radio Phoneix because he is the one person who has been with me on this journey from the day he discovered me until today, one of my biggest supporters and great friends.

George: You’re beautiful, with a great voice, you’re a great songwriter and performer – in short you possess all the qualities of a pop idol – what makes Scarlet tick?
Scarlet: I love to read and write, I cook and spend time with loved ones. I like to visit interesting places and listen to a lot of music as well as eating out and watching movies. So that’s what I do when I’m not working or researching for work.

George: What’s your take on the current music scene in Zambia?
Scarlet: The current music scene in Zambia is growing, developing and showing so much positive change. I’m glad to be a part of it at this moment.

George: What are you working on right now?
Scarlet: I’m a full time musician and a part time radio presenter and writer. I work on my music more than anything else. I’m also in the process of launching a career in catering and event management.

George: What radio show do you host?
Scarlet: My show is called ‘The Mahogany Soul Cafe’ and airs every Wednesday and Monday nights on Power FM.

George: What can fans expect from you this year?
Scarlet : This year there will be a couple of singles and videos. Also live shows country wide. I’m also changing my sound a little bit. Right now I’m working on more lifestyle things and my second album.

George: Which Zambian artists do you listen to? With whom would you like to work?
Scarlet : I listen to a lot of artists. I would like to work with Mumba Yachi, ZoneFam, Pompi and Mampi.

George: What are five things people don’t know about Scarlet
Scarlet: I’m horribly short sighted and suffer from terrible stage fright as well as claustrophobia. I’m a really good cook, I’m the oldest of seven girls and I love fresh cream! Is that five?

George: (Laughing) Yes! Now we know! Thanks for your time – any last words to fans and readers?
Scarlet: There’s a lot I’m working on and a lot I want to do. I’m grateful to everyone that believes in me and supports what I do. I’ll keep singing and getting better and better for them.

George: We wish you every success!
Scarlet: Thanks!

17
MAR

Africa, entertainment, Lusaka, music, Zambia

Around The World Experience

Meet Jill and Paul Carter (above) who left Fremantle, Western Australia in April 2010 on their yacht SV Elevation to sail around the world and who, in March 2014 ended up in the studios of Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station, as Guests on our weekly radio show, The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay Hillz! ‘How did they manage that when Zambia’s land locked’? You’re wondering – Jill and Paul explained to listeners that they had always wanted to see Victoria Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world, so they had berthed the Elevation in Cape Town, jumped on a plane and flown up to Livingstone, so they could do just that! Staying at Chanters Lodge it was natural for us to invite them on to the show to tell us something of their around the world trip so far.

Jill informed us that they had recently sailed from Reunion to Cape Town having previously visited many countries in the Far East on their travels. From the long list they singled out their trips to Borneo and Cambodia as two of the highlights especially the rain forest music festival in Borneo. (For more details you can read Jill’s blog here). Milli Jam wanted to know if this adventurous, personable couple were still working and on leave from their jobs. Paul told us that he had retired from his work as a marine engineer in 2009, while Jill explained that she had been in the banking industry for 33 years but was made redundant following the world crash in 2008. They had decided to build a state of the art yacht and sail the seven seas!

The music on the show was good. We were celebrating the birth of Tamera, Milli Jam’s brand new baby daughter – his other 5 children are all boys. We opened with ‘My Love’ from Route 94 featuring Jess Glynne, top of the UK singles charts as we went on air, back to back with ‘Hunter’ a track from Pharrell Williams’ hot album ‘GIRL’. The guys chose tracks from Salma, Chris Brown, B1 featuring Pentagon as well as Nelly Furtado. Our oldie of the week was ‘Motivation’ by Kelly Rowland and the prize we give each week of a dinner for two with drinks at the lodge to the first person to text us the name of the performing artist, was quickly snapped up by a certain Charles. My pick of the week was Phillip Phillips’ ‘Raging Fire’.

Jill and Paul revealed that they had been married for thirty three years. They said they had much enjoyed the activities they had undertaken since they had arrived in Livingstone including a visit to Victoria Falls which they described as ‘even more stunning than they had expected’. They had also taken a one day safari to Chobe NP in Botswana. They had loved the sunset cruise on the Zambezi on the Lady Livingstone as well as a fifteen minute helicopter flight over the Falls. They thoroughly recommended the Bushtracks dinner train, as well as the traditional dancing at Cafe Zambezi on a Friday night.

Asked about their future plans, the Carters told us that they would fly back to Cape Town the following week and would then sail to Ascension Island and St Helena, before crossing the Atlantic and spending time in the Caribbean. “Isn’t it scary sailing the oceans in bad weather?” Milli Jam wondered (it was pouring with rain outside the studio!) and the couple agreed that yes, sometimes it was. Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time, they both said they hoped to be together, happy and still enjoying their adventures. Fantastic couple, fantastic adventure, great show!

14
MAR

activities, Australia, Botswana, broadcasting, Cape Town, Chobe, entertainment, helicopter, livingstone, radioshow, railways, tourism, travel, water, weather, Zambia

Stephanie McCourt

This, from UKZambians caught my eye – following in the footsteps of the likes of Anna Mwale, Samantha Mumba and Emile Sande!

“A new emerging talent is about to make waves on the music scene. Soul singer Stephanie McCourt (above) has signed with the UK record company, Unstoppable Music Group. The label is headed by music executive Ben Wynter, who has previously worked with some of the world’s biggest artists, including Destiny’s Child, Nas and Mariah Carey. Stephanie, whose mother is Zambian and father Irish, has been singing since she can remember and says ‘Zambian music is the most beautiful music to me, it has real heart and soul.’

At the age of 9, Stephanie’s parents enrolled her with legendary vocal coach Tona de Brett, who has also trained the vocal pipes of Lily Allen, Dido and Duffy to name a few. Like most aspiring artists, she had a hard time finding someone that would recognise her talents and spent years drifting in and out of bands, working with various producers and trying to find out who she was, creatively.

That all changed when she met music producer EFX, owner of the London based, Hot Money Studios. The beat-maker who has created tracks for Esmee Denters, Jay Sean and Wiley, introduced Stephanie to Wynter, who instantly saw potential in the young songstress and signed her to his label.

On how her Zambian heritage has influenced her, Stephanie says :

“Zambian culture has had a heavy influence on me. From traditional foods like wild mushrooms and okra yum yum to Rumba music. My mother is from Ndola and in the past I have flown over many times to visit family. I have seen both contrasting parts of Zambia, from the shanty towns, to the Victoria Falls. Livingstone is one of my favourite places on earth, the Falls and wild life took my breath away. My most memorable moment when visiting Zambia and that is still very close to my heart, was when I went to bury my grand-dad. It was my first experience of a traditional Zambian funeral and though extremely heart breaking, it was during this time I got to hear the local choirs which moved me deeply. There were no instruments, just pure voices singing harmony, it was blissful.“

Stephanie’s next step is completing her EP due for release this Spring 2014. She will also be hitting the London music circuit, performing at numerous venues leading up to its release. On her future the singer says; ‘Failure isn’t an option, I’m born to sing and now I’m unstoppable so its destiny, things have to work out.’

8
MAR

Africa, music, uk, Zambia

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