From gospel roots to street anthems

By Michael Martin/MALAWI// In the heart of Ndirande, Blantyre a township famed for its hustle, hope, and hardship emerged a voice that refuses to be silenced.

Born Mike Chimwaza, better known by his stage name “Emzee”, was born in 2003 in Thyolo but sharpened by the streets of Ndirande.

“Growing up there made me resilient. Life was not easy, but Ndirande taught me how to push through, and that’s exactly what I bring into my music,” he shares.

Raised by a gospel singing mother, Emzee didn’t just hear music but he felt it, lived it, and eventually became it. That divine influence birthed his first recorded track in 2012 titled “Sakudziwa”, a gospel piece that quietly lit the fire for the artist he is today.

Emzee isn’t bound to one genre his sound is a map of his emotions. Whether it’s heartbreak, hope, or hustle, he rides the wave of his environment to create tracks that resonate with raw authenticity.

“I find a beat online, play it on repeat, then let the vibrations guide my lyrics,” Emzee explains in an interview.

His creative method is spiritual from concept to chorus, every Emzee track is a lyrical confession born from real life experience.

He cites Kota the Friend, Russ, and Jahmiel as major influences artists who, like him, value self expression over hype. His own tracks like “go on”, “love sick”, and “solitude” echo similar themes, keep going, love harder, and always believe in the comeback.

“My music is a reflection of everything I’ve been through. That’s why people from places like Ndirande can relate. It’s their story too,” says the 23 talented young man.

Says the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences–MUBAS student that his 2019 collaboration “why” featuring Saga wa Machete and Trickal still gets love on the streets, but for Emzee, the journey hasn’t been smooth.

In a bold statement, he added that studio time costs and beat licenses cost again, life costs but giving up? “Never an option.”

“Being an up and coming artist without financial backup is rough, but passion has kept me going,” why hit maker explains.

This former PACT student says he is gearing up for his debut Extended Playlist (EP) a collection of 6 to 8 carefully crafted tracks that he says will showcase his most imaginative work yet.

He says: “It’s my first time dropping multiple songs at once. I want people to appreciate the effort and see the creativity behind it.”

Each track a different chapter in a book of dreams written by a boy from Ndirande, now a man on a mission.

“To my fans expect growth. If you ever feel like my sound has changed, I respect that. Just know I’ll always try to meet your expectations,” says sick love composer.

This humility rare and refreshing is what separates Emzee from the pack.

Beyond music, Emzee is a scholar having earned a Technician Diploma in Accounting (ICAM) and currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree at MUBAS.

Solitude creator added that, “Discipline and dedication will take me where God created me to be.”

No community project yet. No billboard hit yet. But what Emzee has is vision, vibration, and volume and that’s enough to stir up the charts and touch hearts across Malawi.