AWARD-WINNING Zambian disc jockey and producer Eleftherios Mukuka has signed a record deal with German record label Kallias/Raison Music GmbH and will be moving there next month to work.
Eleftherios, who has been pioneering house music in the country, told the Weekend Mail in Lusaka that he will relocate to Frankfurt, Germany early January to begin a new chapter of his life in the European music industry.
The 23-year-old, who is also partly Greek through his mother, said as usual, he will proudly carry the Zambian flag.
His manager Krish Dandiker says the rising star may likely return to Zambia for a series of shows in May 2016 as part of his sub-Saharan African tour.
It has been an interesting and long journey for Eleftherios.
Born and raised in Lusaka, his piano, composition and production skills earned him a place at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, United States, in 2012.
Last year, he returned to Zambia to build a name for himself as a house music producer/DJ and to help grow the popularity of the genre within the country.
The same year, he won a Born ‘n’ Bred Music Video Award for his song “Heart” whose video was shot and directed by Kenny Mumba of GroundXero.
The song gained notable success outside of Zambia, peaking at number five in the Danish Chatbase Top-100, and getting licenced to over 30 record labels worldwide, including Universal Music Greece, Universal Music Middle East & North Africa, Roton Music Romania and David Gresham Records South Africa.
His other song “Getting There” also attained similar international success a year later. Both songs were part of his debut album, which was premiered in February 2015 during launch.
Eleftherios has shared the stage with notable African musicians such as Oliver Mtukudzi, Femi Kuti, Beatenberg, Goldfish and Mokoomba.
His push to both establish a name for himself and to push the Zambian market to be more open towards house music has not been an easy one. Like most musicians world-wide, he found himself working odd jobs to get by, taking study loans to complete music college and dealt with many cases of rejection from labels, promoters, radio stations and television stations.
His unique and uplifting fusion-house music was not welcomed with open arms at first, especially here where house music is still a very new genre.
However, in the last two years, he has been sharing his musical knowledge with underprivileged Zambian youth who aspire to become musicians, spearheading a voluntary weekly workshop in Garden compound before it moved to his own home-studio where it continues to run.
“We have so much musical talent in this country but too few people care about refining that talent…the refinement of this talent is the key to musical innovation in Zambia and a prerequisite for the preservation of our musical heritage,” Eleftherios says
Getting There
Heart
Good for him but sorry never heard any of his songs! I have only heard of ambassador Kanene’s songs!
He is not Zambian
He should get lost
Thanks
Bb2014
I haven’t heard his stuff either but I give credit to his internationally acclaimed musical achievements at only 23 years.
@Mushota you sound racist. Is Mukuka not Zambian enough for you? Why is the color of his skin more significant than the color of his eyes? Or are you simply reciprocating your own traumatic experience in a foreign country?
Your New Year’s resolution better be: “stop hating and start appreciating.” It will make your life more happier and stress-free.
@Mushota, hope 2016 begins as negatively for you as you have started it!
Go, Eleftherios, go! You do genuine Zambians proud! May you go from strength to strength!