House music ‘growing in Zambia’

“House music is showing good signs of growth in Zambia, which means that we have many more house-music heads now and more radio play for house songs,” El Mukuka told Music In Africa. “But with that said, the progress is still slow and not enough people here in Zambia are willing to embrace house music yet.

“This is a constant challenge for me and the other DJ/producers at the forefront of the house scene in Zambia. The strategy we have all employed is to consciously educate the public through all possible means and to be defiant. It definitely hurts to see this but change is inevitable and I’m confident that more and more Zambians will embrace the style.”

House was created in Chicago in the early 1980s. It then spread to European countries such as the UK and France and made a lasting appearance in South Africa, which boasted some of the biggest rave parties in the world in the mid-1990s. The kwaito genre itself was formed as an offshoot of US and European house. El Mukuka, who is Zambia’s first DJ to sign a deal with Universal Music, said he would look to work with South African electro and house acts such as Mi Casa, Goldfish, Timo ODV and GoodLuck to promote house in his own country,

New song

After working with German producer Shaun Bate on ‘Bottle of Loneliness’ featuring Zambian songstress Marocco, the 25-year-old El Mukuka last week released ‘All I Need’ alongside childhood friend Alan Thompson.

“Alan came to me with half the song already written and the other half we wrote in my studio in Lusaka. I produced the song. In Africa the song comes out on all digital stores on 9 March 2018 on Sony Music Africa,” Mukuka said.

The song was released on the Blanco y Negro Music label in the UK and is available via all major digital stores. Currently there is only a lyric video available for the song but El Mukuka says he would consider producing a full music video if the song receives positive feedback.

El Mukuka, whose birth name is Eleftherios Mukuka, said the Internet, as well as hard work, had helped him reach a wider audience.

“Since changing my artist name from Eleftherios Mukuka to El Mukuka one and a half years ago, I have released six singles and a couple of remixes. There has definitely been success. My brand has grown exponentially in Zambia and is beginning to grow in other African counties and in Europe more and more.

“Increased radio play, streaming and sales have led to bigger bookings, festival appearances in the sub-Saharan region and interesting brand partnership deals. One of the most beautiful things I've noticed is that house music in Zambia is finally starting to grow and this for me is one of the biggest rewards I could possibly ask for.”

Commenting on his continued collaboration with Thompson, El Mukuka said: “Alan and I go way back. He featured on my award-winning debut single in 2013 entitled 'Heart’, which marked the beginning of my career as a DJ/producer in Zambia. He has an incredible voice – one of the best male voices I have come across. Our workflow in the studio is also very natural.”