Yvonne Mwale
Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany | Established. Jan 01, 2009 | INDIE
Music
Press
If you think you had enough of female singers in Zambian music,wait til you hear what Yvonne Mwale has to offer.The "Best Upcoming Female Artist" 2009 the Ngoma Award winner is set to take on the world with her outstanding voice and fiery stage performances. ... Her first single "Like a Soldier" is like nothing you have heard before on the local scene, and thats what makes her stand out because she emcompasses a local swag and an internatioal appeal that is bound to make her one of Africa's best musicians. - iZambia.co.zm
"The last Beat Festival saw the performance of Yvonne Mwale from Zambia. This was no small feat, considering Msafiri Zawose, Dela all the way from Kenya was in attendance. Still it would take a while for fans to forget the fast and engaging waist twists from the one and only Yvonne. Her Reggae sounds laced with her vibrant afro melodic voice is definitely something to look forward to. " - bang! Magazine, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (November 2011)
"The last Beat Festival saw the performance of Yvonne Mwale from Zambia. This was no small feat, considering Msafiri Zawose, Dela all the way from Kenya was in attendance. Still it would take a while for fans to forget the fast and engaging waist twists from the one and only Yvonne. Her Reggae sounds laced with her vibrant afro melodic voice is definitely something to look forward to. " - bang! Magazine, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (November 2011)
"With this moving beats and grooves it didn't take long until everybody in the hall was moving with the beat. ... At the end of the show was a stadium-like applause for a successfull Vuvuzela-free wednesday, that told more about Africa's cultural variety than any TV documentary." - Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine Zeitung, Kassel, Germany (Jul 01, 2010)
"The next act was Yvonne Mwale; this lady took the trophy of the night for me. Her energy was so infectious and she had loads of it to share. With a voice a blend of Patra, Erykah Badu and a bit of Lauryn Hill her songs were mostly reggae, as well a mix of traditional afro from her country and afro-jazz. She really had the house on fire, especially when she took to the dance floor, showing how its done with her waist and legs, all through wearing a ‘Rastafarian soldier
gab’.
In her own words on her experience at the ‘Beat Festival’ “I loved the energy here people were excited, generally my trip to Tanzania has been real cool; am lovin’ it.” Well judging from her performance the way she was so in tune with her music and easily going the extra mile in including her audience.
We sure loved her…" - Daily News, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (Jul 16, 2011)
Discography
Albums
Vilimba (2010) (CD, with Nyali Band)
Kalamatila (2012) (CD Caravan Records)
Singles
Fight Like A Soldier (2011)
Kalamatila (2012, picked as single of the month by BBC World)
In My Life ft. Mzungu Kichaa (2012)
Familia Yangu (2012)
Sihitaji Marafiki with Fid Q (2012, 12 weeks #1 in East African charts)
Music Videos
Fight Like A Soldier (2012)
Sihitaji Marafiki [with Fid Q] (2012)
Familia Yangu (2012)
Mphatso [with Muky Mwale] (2013)
Awards and Competitions
2009 - Best upcoming Female Artist, National Music Awards, Zambia
2009 - Winner of the Music CrossRoads InterRegional Competition
2012 - Award Winner at the Jahazi Jazz Festival Competition
2013 - Nominated in two categories at the Kilimanjaro Tanzania Music Awards?
2013 - Finalist at the RFI Prix Decouvert 2013 (Radio France Internationale)
Outstanding Concerts and Festivals
2010 - Festival Afrique-Carib, Netherlands
2010 - Junction Festival, Ireland
2010 - Festival de la Cooperacin, Spain
2010 - Wild Rose Festival, Sweden
2010 - Schlachthof Kassel, Germany
2010 - Imagine Festival, Norway
2010 - Lake of Stars, Malawi
2011 - The Beat Festival, Tanzania
2012 - National Museum, Tanzania (with Maya Azucena, US & Charlotte Hill ONeil, US/TZ)
2012 - Goethe-Institut, Tanzania (with Dobet Gnahor, Ivory Coast/France)
2012 - 2nd Dar Jazz Event, Tanzania (with Delmar Brown, US; Bobby Rickets, US/DK; Tony Bunn, US)
2012 - Jahazi Jazz Festival, Tanzania
2012 - TV performance at the finale of Dream Competition, Zambia
2013 - The Misty Jazz Club, Zambia
2013 - International Jazz Day Concert, Alliance Franaise, Zambia?
Photos
Bio
If you are looking for artists that stand out from the crowd with music that has a strong message and a genuine cultural background then the Zambian born Yvonne Mwale is definitely somebody you need to have a closer look on. Powerful African rhythms uniquely fused with Jazz, Blues and Reggae excite the audience and media in the same way like her strong stage presence and this powerful, characteristic voice. Her latest album Kalamatila marked her debut as an solo artist and opened Yvonne Mwale the doors at radio stations all over the world.
Everybody talking to Yvonne immediately realizes that the songstress is everything else but a dreamer. After loosing both parents when only 12 she learned to survive on the streets of Lusaka, sleeping at night in the markets. It was the music and her discovery as a vocalist that changed her life to the good again. And its the same experience that today is talking in her music. Her lyrics are not empty phrases but contain strong messages that encourage, that tell about reality and together with the rhythms of her songs create a very unique positive energy. Yvonne Mwale says: For me music is a way to tell about things Ive experienced in life or have seen happening around me. At the same time my music gives a positive message. Hardships in life are supposed to make you just stronger. Yvonne Mwale is for sure one of these strong women. Today, fans love her live performances for the energy she has on stage that inevitably transfers to the audience. Critics praise her for the contemporary deliverance of genuine African tunes that understand very well to fuse with that portion of Jazz and Blues.
As her name grew in her home country, she was not only awarded Best Upcoming Female Artist at the national music awards but also won with her own band the CrossRoads Music Competition. That opened doors for her to extensively tour Europe. After returning she started recording her first solo album and then signed with the danish independent label Caravan Records. This step has allowed her to keep her music freedom while reaching further to an international audience.
Yvonne Mwale is currently on the road, touring both Africa and Europe and started recording her new album recently. The next album is expected to be released late summer 2013.
Band Members
Links
