STRAIGHT-TALKING dancehall musician Petersen has come out strongly against local radio stations, arguing that their playlists are not representative of the Zambian musical landscape.
In a posting on his Facebook page, Petersen says listening to local radio is like listening to Western/African radio as some of them just watch MTV Base, Channel O or Trace TV and then shift the whole playlist onto their respective radio playlists.
He says this scenario has caused a lot of new and up-and-coming artistes to start singing American, Naija or South African sound-influenced songs, which again the same radio presenters pour scorn on.
Petersen, who recently released his latest album King Solomon, has a question for proprietors of radio stations.
“Radio Station owners; what criteria do you use when conducting your employment interviews? Oliver Mtukudzi, Fela Kuti, Salif Keita, Meiway, Ringo Madlingozi, Jose Chameleon etc are great sons of the mother continent but are rare on Zambian Radio. Is it the age of the presenters or the type of music these presenters consider good?” he asks.
“Angela Nyirenda, James Chamanyazi, Exile, Sakala Bothers, myself, Mweshi Mulusa, Kings Malembe Malembe, Scarlet, Danny Kaya etc ain’t having as much radio airplay. Should we all move with the time and musical trends by switching the sound? Should Levy Sakala, JK and Ballad Zulu start rapping for them to be on your radio playlists or on your top 10 countdowns?
“Or maybe the question should be; what’s wrong with having radio presenters like Danny Peddle (Motherland Vibes), Kalumba The Smash, Isaac Mulinda, Ricky Banda, Ken Mind Blower, Mo Funky, Gesh, DJ CJ, Chilu Lemba, Life, Jack Mwale, Lady MC and the likes of the Late LBC (MHSRIP) – Heavy Rotation? Please re-design your airplay; its average and one-sided right now.”
As you would expect from Petersen, he is not apologetic.
“I write this not to appreciate all the good and positive things you deserve to be respected and appreciated for, but to point out and enlighten you on what your radio stations lack. I’m here writing on the aspect I feel 70 percent of you are missing out,” he says.
“I am also not here to discredit the young and youthful radio presenters or personnel you have all employed at your respectful media organisations but to mention the consequences and everything that comes with fellow Zambians born in the late 80’s and early 90’s. This age range is important and needed in showbiz because they possess new sounds and touch, but if you gonna fill your employment list with presenters who are hip hop (American music) -oriented, then your radio station is monotonous (lacks variety).”
(DailyMail)
True that its too much of hiphop and chatting on radios is too much it irritates me y not have nice muzic flowing
An in-law of mine from the USA once chided, “I heard more country music in Zambian than I have done in the US where I have lived my entire life.” When I asked about hip or metal, she said,” That too. It is like there is no Zambian music at all. And yet we come here to enjoy not only the nice and pristine natural estates but the culture of which music is a big part.”
Music, as swaths of foreign hair on the heads of our women folk is symptomatic of a deep-lying inferiority complex. We sincerely believe we are hip when we spot foreign stuff. Just look at the names of the artists and the DJs. Somewhere we took a wrong exit and lost our identity. We are now poor negatives of the foreigners we wish we were. Ever wondered what foreigners thought about us?smh!
Which station of the over 25 in Lusaka play too much country music, I don’t know. Maybe he tuned into 5FM for one hour when they were playing country music. If you said R&B I might have agreed. I hear plenty of Zambian music on our stations. Maybe its one type but there is plenty. How have the likes of Slap Dee or Marky 2 managed to become so popular? They receive airplay!!! Lets not allow an American to come and tell us what we should or should not listen to. Its our choice after all.
@ Mwebantu, Sattish is right. Come to America and hear if they have any foreign music on their radio stations. It’s all American and from time to time an ‘Adele’ or ‘Beatles’ group ( which most recently meant New Direction) cracks into the playlist. I miss the days of Mulemena Boys or Issac Mulinda’s playlist. Zambians, why are we always imitating other cultures. As for the hairpieces, don’t even get me started on that one.
Comment reserved…….
So much variety out there, its up to you to choose. You want mostly Zambian go Komboni or Hone, you want madalas/country go 5FM, you want mixed grill go Phoenix, You want hip hop and modern go QFM or Hot, you want Pop and Rock go Metro FM. There is variety just choose what you like. But Peterson does have a point we need to do more to promote local material and a variety not the same sound.
Where do I click like? You nailed it. I love mature music and I know where to go. I also love balanced news and the ones who play what I may term music for the young have the best and well balanced news. Its a question of knowing how to tune ones radio. There is no radio that was permanently tuned to one station
Go to other countries and hear what they listen to: their own. Most of what you listed is theirs: foreign. The foreigner was not telling you what you should or shouldn’t listen to. The foreigner was wondering if you truly had your own.
You can be dull and somebody is owed by your dullness but that does not mean they are telling you to no be dull. There’s a difference there.
what is he trying to say with that album cover?
Eshhh, that album cover, at at least ba Petersen you should have had that woman’s legs photo-shopped to get rid of that cellulite from the thighs.
Cellulite my as.s. Is that word even part of Zambian vocabulary? This is what the author is talking about: imitation of other people’s culture.