By Chancy Namadzunda:
For a long time, the African societies have promoted the narrative that love does not need money to thrive. For ages this theory has encouraged people to fall in love regardless of the coins in their pockets.
However, the modern couples are living in the time when competition is high among couples to outshine each other on who has an enjoyable love relationship.
It is from this background that author-cum-musician Dyson Mthawanji, also known as Mr Dyson in music circles, has taken a different path on this topic. In his new song entitled Kwacha, released on Monday 1st August 2022, Mthawanji argues that love needs money for the love birds to enjoy every step of the romantic relationship.
He therefore stands and encourages men to work hard to raise money to make their love affairs enjoyable.
Mthawanji grabs the microphone for the first verse:
Dzukani Magaye kwacha
Tikapushe tipeze kwacha
Chikondi chifuna kwacha
Akaziwa safuna khwanya
Amafuna moyo wabwino
Amafuna zinthu zabwino
Kuti chikondi chikome / Zitengera mthumba mwanumo
Speaking in an interview with The Atlas Malawi, Mthawnaji said it is high time the society tells the future couples that money is very important for not only love affairs but marriages too.
“Let me put it in this way: going to the lake with your loved one spices your romantic adventure. Going for a dinner or lunch at some good place in town strengthens your love affairs. Buying romantic flowers for your loved one on Valentine’s Day brightens the love union. But do you think you can do this without money? No. Money is very important for love affairs. That’s why in this new song, Kwacha, I encourage men to wake up in the morning so that they rush into the field to make money,” argues Mthawanji.
In the second verse of the song, Lilongwe based Mthawanji turns to women, encouraging them to work hard too to balance the equation in as far as financial contribution to the relationship is concerned. Indeed in most love relationships it is only men who contribute financially making them gold mines for their girlfriends or wives.
Mthawanji sings:
Dzukani achemwa kwacha
Zodalira mamuna zatha
Tunduma, Chipata pita
Osachita manyazi pamsika
Khetsa thukutalo
Gwira ntchitoyo
Ufuna life ya bho
Gwira ntchitoyoooooo
Mthawanji said people should freely debate issues about love and marriage and should avoid using invisible and fake template.
“If you look at the way people look at love it is as if there is a certain template which every person should follow. We have heard that love does not need money. Can that be true? Can love move smoothly when there is zero kwacha? My song is challenging that thinking.
“The song says we should work hard so that we have some coins for our love life. I’m not saying people should be rich to enjoy love. If you read between lines, this song says poverty can bring challenges in love life. Thus, it’s time to hustle. Let’s hustle,” said Mthawanji.
To support his argument in the music video, Mthawanji is seen handing over a brand new BMW vehicle to a slim and brown complexion woman, Tenjiwe Loya, a Blantyre based model who acts as Mthawanji’s fiancée in the song.
The third verse of the song brings the voice of Ndirande based Nepman, a notable member of Zembani Band who is popular with a song Na Lero.
In Kwacha song, Nepman, real name Nepia Longwe, also follows Mthawanji’s steps by encouraging both men and women to work hard so that they can enjoy their love journey. Nepman sings:
Ofunika kutakata mpaka mpaka
Osamangolakalaka kumatha zaka
Kumatipulako nthaka osaopa
Mwina ndikugula mkaka osafooka
In the song, another Blantyre based model, Medrina Thunyani, paired with Nepman acting as his wife-to-be. The two models showed amazing acingt skills throughout the video. The two couples are seen enjoying drinks beside a swimming pool, a sign that perhaps love really needs money.
The song was recorded and shot in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre by Sispence and Ron CZ respectively. Mthawanji said he has enjoyed working with both Sispence and Ron CZ. He described them as talented hands that understand the needs of the artist.
Mthawanji is not a new name in arts industry as he is also a reputable author having contributed hundreds of short stories to local publications such as Together Magazine by Montfort Media, Weekend Nation by Nation Publications Limited and Malawi News by Times Group.
He has also authored books such as Chiphadzuwa cha Usiku which is still selling like hot cakes. He studied Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from University of Malawi, mainly its constituent college, The Polytechnic which has now rebranded to Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS). He also studied Marketing with Charted Institute of Marketing (CIM).
Musically, he came into music limelight early 2022 when he dropped a song entitled Tiye in which he featured Sangie of Mayi wangwiro fame.
Listening to Kwacha, it shows how Mthawnaji has skillfully married old and new schools hence bringing new musically in as far as reggae texture is concerned. Although he is clicking to old and deep reggae, he has managed to balance it with elements of urban touch mainly looking at how he has knitted the rhyming words.
