Patience Namadingo is ‘a game changer’: Adds new twist to Malawi music

This Christmas would not be as exciting without a touch of his sparkle and work of art. His voice is pure and awe-inspiring—a touch of class and a perfect gift to the ear.

The new kid on the block, contemporary Afro gospel music prodigy Patience Namadingo is surely the musical Santa this Christmas needs.

He usually sings with unadulterated vocal codes and with a high range, yet his compositions are largely on the less-is-more side of the music fence, that even the hardcore critics will admit that he is a genius who invites the ears to smile, and the allure of his music is too hard to resist.

Patience Namadingo is a music prodigy par-excellence who has added a new twist to Malawi music; and listening to his recent compositions, Msati Mseke and Macheza, songs which boast a multipartite of gule wamkulu, sarcasm and pleasantry suffused with the good news.

The tantalising Macheza,which lies dangerously between a drooping slapstick and a staid word of God, draws the listener from the puddings of true life-stories to lip-decorated lyrical masterpieces, dance and music.

His music is like a milkshake-soaked pudding that fills the hearts of music lovers with the scent of warm spice and singed orange peels as evidenced in his newly launched latest Lero album.

Surely, Namadingo is set to go places, higher than his uncultivable height.

But for how long and how far, only he will decide.

Malawi’s music icon Lucius Banda thinks Patience Namadingo is a game changer on the Malawian music landscape.

The Mabala hit-maker says Namadingo is the best next thing happening to Malawi music, saying his flair, clever lyrical compositions and style of music—which is fused between two genres—will take him far.

“Namadingo is, without doubt, one of the most talented musicians in the country. His advantage though, is that he is different and does things his way beyond the traditional conventions of what many believe to be Malawian gospel,” explained Lucius.

The self-styled Soldier, who started his music in a church music group Alleluia Band, explains that the problem with most people in the country is they do not understand what gospel music is, saying many think gospel music is anything that sings about God and the Bible.

“Gospel music is not all about quoting the Bible. It is about spreading the diverse messages to the masses. Gospel music is more than telling biblical stories and parables. As artists, gospel musicians, like any musicians, need to be more creative in their endeavours,” says Lucius.

Gospel musician Grace Chinga agrees with Lucius and thinks that Namadingo has a bright future in music, noting that the “young man is creative and brings gospel music to a different new level.

“From my personal point of view, I see that the Namadingo is creative and he has a distinct style. However, I am aware that there are some people, both musicians and music lovers, who are accusing him of singing nothing close to gospel music,” says Chinga.

She adds: “But I don’t agree with those who are saying Namadingo’s music is not gospel music. Namadingo is 100 percent a gospel artist and a creative one for that matter. But people will always have something bad to say. I am one his fans. He is a talented and his artistic ability is up the notch and top-drawer. Not everyone can come up with a song like Msati Mseke,” she says.

The gospel musician says she believes Namadingo will be one of the country’s top musicians if he is to stay in his lane.

Musicians Union of Malawi (MUM) president and one of the country’s legendary contemporary Afro-gospel musicians Chimwemwe Mhango described Namadingo as a trendsetter whose new thinking in music is a game changer on the scene.

“Yes, Namadingo’s music is distinctively gospel music in every sense. He is using a technic of making all traditions realise that they can do better if they take God as their king,” affirms Mhango.

He added: “Dancing in itself is not bad despite the styles, but evil can be on what people do behind the scenes and what they focus on, but if they come with humble hearts to the Lord, God will be happy.”

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