Malaika signs new recording deal with Scottish producer

When Malaika first broke on the scene in 2014, she was featured in Chege’s hit single ‘Uswazi Take Away’; at that point it remained just that – a featuring with a certain wannabe novice.

The single was a success gaining air play on both radio and TV as it was further popularized by Diamond Platnumz remix.

Her hit single Rarua was an instant hit that rocked audiences across East Africa thrusting her into the celebrity limelight and soon shows followed including some in the US. The singer who was discovered at Adam Juma’s studio where she worked as a make-up artiste is now set for bigger things in the music industry after her talent was noticed by Scottish producer David Roddie.

The Beat can reveal the versatile singer is now in Glasgow, Scotland ready to work with the producer who owns Urban Studios whose hit single ‘Wolves’ has been such huge hit across Europe.

“Malaika is excited at the prospects of working with Urban Studios because this is an opportunity that promises her a great deal,” says her manager Hassan Nganzo.

Though she is considered as an up and coming artiste Malaika’s sound is not new in many Tanzania ears, her follow up effort to the breakthrough single ‘Mwantumu’ which she released in 2014 was quite infectious.

This was further confirmed by the release of other songs such as ‘Sare’ featuring Mesen Selekta, ‘Nenda’ and ‘Zogo’ songs thatconfirmed that a new queen had arrived on the scene.

These songs however were not as popular on airwaves in comparison to ‘Rarua’ that showed the singer’s complete metamorphosis into a whole new product that was eye catching.

David Roddie an award winning songwriter and music producer has been contributing towards Scottish and US creative industries for the past 16 years.

Using his vast experience in World music as director of Urban Studios he has decided to cast his net wider as far as Tanzania to get the feel of Bongo Flava.

After a thorough search the onus fell on young female solo artiste Malaika was the cherry picked Bongo Flava artists to be tipped to work under Urban Studios in Glasgow, Scotland.

“I look forward to bringing what I have to the Bongo Flava music scene and hope to work artistes to create some amazing new music with a global appeal,” says the Blue Sky Fall singer.

Though Malaika’s team is keeping their card close to their chest, her manager Hassan Nganzo who lives in the Norway says the singer has already flown to Glasgow and that everything has been arranged to the finest details.

Bongo Flava as a genre is known for its diversity that has seen it borrow from almost every genre in the world fusing with local melodies to get something unique.

While Bongo Flava is clearly related to American hip hop, it is also clearly distinguished from its Western counterpart.

The original sound “has its roots in the rap, R&B and hip hop coming from America but has since gone on to borrow from other genre across Africa such as Kwaito.

It is this diversity that Roddie is looking forward to tap into as he believes that the his experience of working with various genres gives him the edge especially on working with young artistes who still have room for transformation.

“When you work with producers and song writers like Roddie who won the 2015 Song writing contest, there is great value that it adds and we hope he can bring this to Bongo Flava,” says Hassan.

He says that though there some people who know about Bongo Flava in Europe, it is yet to gain air play in most European countries.

The initial plan after surveying the market by the Urban Studios CEO was to work with three artistes but due to other commitments they were not available.

“When I met Roddie he showed interest in working with Diamond Platnumz, Ali Kiba and Malaika but as you know the two male artistes were already tied up at Universal and Sony music respectively,” says Ngazo.

The news comes at a time when not many female Bongo Flava artistes making it beyond the breakthrough stage with most choosing to throw in the towel as they find it just too hot to handle.