From Studio Spark to Soul Star
“We come from a nation where music is not recognized as a means to sustain a livelihood. As children we were discouraged from pursuing music as a career. Instead, we were encouraged to focus on education, so one day you could get a job in an office” However, an experience in studio at the age of 13 with Malawi’s legendary producer Dynamike sealed Lawi’s future. “Seeing the production process come to life opened my soul up to a whole new world of creativity. Most importantly, I felt that this was where I belonged and what I could do for life” “I admire African artists like Angelique Kidjo and Richard Bona who continue to experiment with the African sound. John Legend is a genius who is rooted in soul and writes such conscious music.” Lawi says, when citing his influences The Nation of Malawi credits Lawi as “a major contributor to what local urban music in Malawi has become today” Bernard Kwilimbe, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Arts and Culture of Malawi comments that Lawi is “The most wonderful thing to happen to the arts in Malawi in recent years. His innovation, creativity, originality, and joy make him especially relevant to audiences. His mature sound, precision and professionalism set him apart. He presents himself as an artist you really want to know. He is a great artistic ambassador for Malawi
Lawi was born Francis Chris Phiri in Blantyre, Malawi in 1986. Lawi is an abbreviation of Nzululwazi, “custodian of wisdom” in the Ngoni language. “My parents had high hopes!” says Lawi with a smile. “Many of us Malawians have grown up with an inferiority complex in relation to our place in the world. I love sharing Malawi’s cultural flavour on stage. There is more to Malawi than the famous lake! We have so much to contribute to the world artistically so I am proud to present what we have for all to enjoy.
Lawi's Artistic Journey
Lawi stage set is a colourful fusion of original African rhythms and soul music, which sees him in regular demand as a performer. With his band, Lawi and the Mango, he has performed with artists as diverse as jazz luminaire Jimmy Dludlu, South African soul and funk legend Ray Phiri. Lawi has received critical acclaim at Malawi’s landmark event, Lake of Stars and his summer tour in the United States in 2014. Lawi credits Malawian musician Mte Wambali Mkandawire as a major source of inspiration and awareness of the power of Malawi’s arts and culture “I am drawn to the richness of organic sounds we have in African music. I am of Lomwe and Ngoni descent. In those cultures there are sweet melodies, plaintive work songs and fascinating stories – a rich seam of material for Malawian artists to share with the rest of the world. Mte opened my mind to that.” Lawi channelled his interest in music by playing guitar seriously from the age of 9. It almost ended as a childhood hobby
From Studio Spark to Soul Star
“We come from a nation where music is not recognized as a means to sustain a livelihood. As children we were discouraged from pursuing music as a career. Instead, we were encouraged to focus on education, so one day you could get a job in an office” However, an experience in studio at the age of 13 with Malawi’s legendary producer Dynamike sealed Lawi’s future. “Seeing the production process come to life opened my soul up to a whole new world of creativity. Most importantly, I felt that this was where I belonged and what I could do for life” “I admire African artists like Angelique Kidjo and Richard Bona who continue to experiment with the African sound. John Legend is a genius who is rooted in soul and writes such conscious music.” Lawi says, when citing his influences The Nation of Malawi credits Lawi as “a major contributor to what local urban music in Malawi has become today” Bernard Kwilimbe, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Arts and Culture of Malawi comments that Lawi is “The most wonderful thing to happen to the arts in Malawi in recent years. His innovation, creativity, originality, and joy make him especially relevant to audiences. His mature sound, precision and professionalism set him apart. He presents himself as an artist you really want to know. He is a great artistic ambassador for Malawi
Global Stage for Lawi
“It was a childhood dream to collaborate with such a senior figure who is still active and shares Malawian roots”. Legendary South African Grammy winning musician Ray Phiri expresses enthusiasm for Lawi “Lawi is a great young artist with a refreshingly clean sound. He is warm, grounded and a person of conviction and purpose. You get a sense that his songs are coming straight form the heart. I respect his craft and his clear sense of identity” Lawi continues this in 2015, a year in which he will release new music and perform at key events, both locally and internationally. He has already been nominated as Malawi’s 2015 representative in the African Song Contest produced by CNN’s Zeinab Badaw
As for what to expect next
“I like to push boundaries and collaborate with creative dynamos. I am different and unconventional. I don’t “think outside the box” - there is no “box” in the first place! I love music. I can’t wait to share my new work with the world”