Keturah, Talented Singer-Songwriter from Malawi

Keturah is a folk singer from Malawi in southeastern Africa. At the age of 26, she released a self-titled debut album. Keturah is a 10-track set that chronicles Keturah’s journey from the tiny, remote home village of Monza to the shores of Venice, southern California.

Having never boarded an airplane, let alone leave Malawi, Keturah’s 30-hour trip proved to be a significant leap forward in her journey that began on foot. As a child, Keturah first realized her musical potential on walks through her village with her uncle. He would play his guitar and sing ballads. She’d just watch and listen until eventually gaining the confidence to join in with her own melodies.

Through music, Keturah began to form a connection with her community. As a child, she mostly kept to herself, often feeling more like an elder than a friend to her peers. She found solace in her thoughts or those of her mother, who regularly sat her down to share wisdom through stories and memories. The two became best friends until she passed away when Keturah was only 13. Having already lost her uncle, Keturah turned to music as a way of carrying forward her family’s message.

Not yet fourteen, but determined to reach a larger audience, again Keturah set out on foot, this time for Blantyre, Malawi’s second-largest city, where she hoped to find a recording studio. She met a local producer who was so impressed by her voice that he offered to record her for free. Keturah recorded one song that eventually made its way onto radio, launching her music career with releases empowering listeners to connect to their Malawian identity. The attitude resonated; Keturah earned the nickname “local girl” as she rose to the status of Malawian celebrity.

Her talent soon attracted French Honorary Consul Luc Deschamps, who runs the Jacaranda Foundation, a Malawian school for AIDS orphans and its cultural center. He recognized her potential and connected her with Harlan Steinberger, director of Hen House Studios, an independent music label and recording studio that releases roots and world music in Venice, California.

Jacaranda arranged for Keturah to travel to Los Angeles to record at Hen House in July 2022. She arrived with voice notes featuring roughly sketched melodies over guitar, and let Harlan organize things from there. He brought in Playing for Change co-founder Mark Johnson and surrounded Keturah with an all-star cast of musicians, including the rhythm section of the Playing for Change Band (Jason Tamba and Mermans Mosengo); bass player Kaveh Rastegar (John Legend, Bruno Mars); Magatte Sow (Senegalese drummer featured on the Black Panther soundtrack); kora player Prince Diabate; Mickey Raphael (Willie Nelson’s long-time harmonica player); The Doors’ drummer John Densmore (percussion); soul singer Chris Pierce; Zimbabwean guitar legend Louis Mhlanga; and the young Stones Throw pianist Jamael Dean.

Keturah updated traditional Malawian folk with contemporary rhythms from the greater African diaspora. Indeed, the album travels through a dynamic combination of genres, from the lively, upbeat Afro-folk and funk rhythms of “Kwanumkwanu” to the emotive ballads of “Sukulu” and “Chimbalame”, the Americana inspired “Nchiwewe” and carefree tracks such as “All The Way from Africa” and “Ku Nyumba.”

(headline image: Keturah – Photo by Artves Photography)

Discography:

Keturah (Hen House Studios, 2023)

Author: Angel Romero

Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.