Following the hit ‘Bosana’ which has already reached over 635,000+ streams on Spotify alone, El Mukuka – arguably Zambia’s top DJ and Producer – is back with a brand new single as he teams up with Andre Rizo and Cephas Maseko on the infamous Swahili love song, ‘Malaika’.
A legendary love song, ‘Malaika’ is possibly the most famous of all Swahili love songs in Tanzania, Kenya and the entire East Africa, as well as being one of the most widely known of all Swahili songs in the world. Malaika in the song’s context means “angel” in Swahili, and this word has always been used by the Swahili speakers to refer to a beautiful girl.
El Mukuka had the idea a few years ago to do a club version of ‘Malaika’. The goal was to take some of the magic from the original version and mix that with a completely new (club oriented) sonic environment. He also wanted Cephas Maseko to deliver the song in his own style, which is predominantly Afro-Jazz.
Speaking on working with Andre Rizo and bringing legendary Zambian musician Cephas Maseko in to sing on the track, Mukuka says “I loved working with Andre! He is such a talented producer and so down to earth, which is quite a rare find these days. I have been a fan of his work for many years and it’s really exciting to finally have a track out together. Doing a club rendition of one of Africa’s greatest songs came with a strong sense of responsibility. It was also a huge honor for me to have Cephas Maseko, a living Zambian legend, do the vocals and interpret the song.”
Andre Rizo has crafted a brilliant career as a DJ and Producer, so joining El Mukuka to work together on the track was a unique encounter for him. “Working with El Mukuka was a brand new experience for me because we brought together two different cultures and musical styles. It was an exciting process and I’m very satisfied with the result! The special thing for me about ‘Malaika’ is the vocal. The authenticity and warmth of the vocals combined with a deep, groovy club production is such a cool combination!” comments Andre, who is especially impressed with the inclusion of Cephas and his vocal delivery.
A great song is never forgotten and ‘Malaika’ continues to be celebrated as such with the release of this fantastic rendition by Andre Rizo, El Mukuka and Cephas Maseko.