Lucius Banda says after US tour: Thank you for the memories, I’ll be back

Malawian music icon Lucius Banda says he feels overwhelmed by the support Malawians based in the US rendered to his inaugural one-month tour and he feels compelled to return to the country for more shows.

Having wound off his tour this week, Lucius says he regrets having dithered too long to undertake a US tour.

“The reception was overwhelming. I must be honest that when I was coming here I wasn’t expecting to meet such big crowds of people. But most of the, the halls were full. And people responded to the music very well.

“And thank God that I made the right menu, because most of the people staying here have been here for over 10 years without coming home. So the music they are comfortable with is much of my older music. So I had a lot of those songs on the menu so they enjoyed themselves,” he said in an interview with Nyasa Times.

The music legend, who is christened Soldier owing to his positioning as being the voice of the poor, says he regrets having waited too long to honour requests to perform in the US.

“Honestly I really regret coming here this late. It has been said that America is the land of opportunities; I have seen it with my own eyes and believe you me, as I go back to Malawi, I will not be the same person. I will not be the same musician.

“I have been convinced that there is an opportunity for everyone here, including me. I just need to work hard. Mind you, the people who came to my shows were not only Malawians. I had Americans coming. Mozambicans, Zimbabweans and Zambians all came to the shows.

“It just encourages me that my music is loved out there. I just need to take it more seriously. This has compelled me to work harder to a point that when I get back home, I have to work on one or two songs in a professional manner with a professional video and throw it this side and see what happens,” he said.

But what next for the legendary musician at this stage of his 30-year music career?

“Well, the next step for Lucius Banda is to give the musical side of Lucius Banda a little bit more emphasis. I have sat down and I have looked around. Politics, yes, it’s my thing and I do it for the people. But music is what makes me. I think my concentration on music will be more. I will work so hard in music because it is clear that music has taken me around the world.

“All the countries that I have been to; I have travelled around the world. It’s time for me to respect my musical career and work hard musically. Right now I am working on a single which is huge and I will start working on a professional music video which I will release for the international market,” he said.

Lucius said he is honoured by the love and respect shown to him by Malawians in America.

“A lot of people say they were inspired by my music and some who say they are what they are now because of the advice I gave them in my music. Which is why when I came here, a lot of people felt that they owe me in a way. They were saying the advice I have been giving in my music has kept them going and kept them strong.

“I must admit that I have been given gifts left, right and centre everywhere I have gone. People have been appreciating my career. People have come to me to appreciate me as a Malawian legend. It is something I don’t take for granted. I really appreciate. I take those memories back with me to Malawi.

“A number of people have encouraged me to come back to America and I would like to say here categorically, I am coming back next year. I wish it wasn’t coming a campaign year because I would have come here next December. But I will come next year,” he said.

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