Lu m e ’ Zam ck wit h ne w hit ‘Ma al eck ba
NICKY Munyandi, popularly known as Nicko Zamaleck, recently dropped a new hit titled ‘Malume’. The award-winning Namibian musician, actor, model, journalist and corporate media practitioner is known for his song ‘My Namibia’, which was crowned best music video in the TALA Film Festival on 1 June 2021, winning ahead of songs by Gazza, Lize Ehlers, etc. who were also nominated.
The 22-year-old stated that ‘Malume’ is a House and traditionally-fused song, basing the song’s message on stereotypical practices of witchcraft.
“It directly speaks of an uncle (malume) who practices witchcraft out of envy, instilling calamity in his own family and loved ones, while pretending to be a consciously clean man. The music video showcases this, and additionally shows how he does this until his nephew and nieces start suspecting him and monitor his movement until he reaches his shrine,” he explained.
Munyandi added that the song is not meant to ignite any existing stereotypes or mockery of people who have been accused of practising witchcraft. Rather, the main message is that human beings, especially Africans, should evaluate themselves and make sure that they are perfect and consciously pure before pointing any fingers at fellow human beings.
“We need to do better as a people and stop hating, accusing or even hurting other people, be it emotionally, physically, verbally and mentally. If you do these things, don’t bother looking for non-existent answers and rather know that you are a witch, and karma is just taking its course,” he said.
It was always a hustle for Munyandi to shoot the music videos, as the perfect time to do so didn’t exist. He has been trying to film the video for almost three weeks, and the rain in January always made them postpone the shooting. But he was fortunate to film most of the important scenes in a single day, despite the unfriendly weather. He successfully directed and came up with the creative concept and choreography of this music video. “I am an independent artist, and everything organisational and financial is solely my responsibility.
Also, getting everyone together and starting on time is a huge issue I’ve experienced in all my music video productions. A lot of unexpected things happen last-minute, and I have to be on standby and ready to effectively compromise certain things without going astray from my initial creativity. Things such as people pulling out from production, last-minute choreographies, and the development of new ideas while on set is usually a curse as much as they are a blessing. However, I am very proud to admit that things always work out for the good at the end of the day. Therefore, this production was a huge success, and the experience is so fulfilling, eye-opening, and has really humbled me as an artist and as an individual,” he added. Munyandi officially began his career in 2019, an d took a break i n 2020. He returned this year, much stronger and ready for stardom, and releasing more music for Namibians and an international market. Things have been difficult as an independent artist, but he believes his upcoming projects have the potential to boost his career and allow him to blossom, financially and career-wise.
Although he has not released any albums yet, he approximately has six to seven previous singles, with two music videos, of which his first was ‘My Namibia’.
“I am to release my debut album this year titled ‘Eruption’, and ‘Malume’ is the leading single from this upcoming 15-track body of work. It is a solo album, and I hope to receive international recognition, sponsorships and gigs once it has been released. I am also obtaining my honours degree in Journalism and Media Technology this year, and I am so excited. I’ll be very active this year, so please support me in whichever way possible and stay glued to my social media platforms,” he pleaded. Munyandi has never collaborated with any artist in his solo musical career, and his incoming debut album is no different. In his future projects, he would love to collaborate with other remarkable artists.
“My dream collaborations in Namibia are a lot because of my versatility in music, but I believe my dream collaborations include Yemi Alade, Nicki Minaj, Gazza, Sally Boss Madam, Angelique Kidjo, Top Cheri, DJ Vuyo, Lioness, Koffi Olamide and so many more amazing African and Western musical legends,” he noted.