By Sam Banda Jnr:
Musician Lazarus Chigwandali, who was in the spotlight in the United States (US) where he attended the Tribeca Film Festival, on Friday performed at the celebration of the European Day in Lilongwe.
The artist excited the audience during his performance, where he dished out a few of his numbers including ‘Ndife Alendo’, which was released on March 8 2019.
In the song ‘Ndife Alendo’, the musician recounts attacks on people living with albinism.
Soon after Lazarus had finished his performance, Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Malawi, Sandra Paesen, congratulated Lazarus on stage for a wonderful performance.
“We stand with people living with albinism and we stand with you Lazarus. Thank you for a wonderful performance and we appreciate what you are doing,” Paesen said.
Lazarus has defied all odds to use music to talk about different issues.
The artist, who was accompanied by some of the members he is working with including Esau Mwamwaya of The Very Best, was the centre of attraction during the event, which attracted people from the government led by Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe and members of the donor community.
“I am happy to perform here. This is my first time to be invited to such an event. Through this event, I have been given an opportunity to reach out to a different audience. I am looking forward to more of such opportunities,” Lazarus said.
Meanwhile Lazarus has described his trip to the US as an eye-opener where he had time to network with other players.
“This was my first time to go to US I got all the respect there as a musician and it felt like I would not come back to Malawi. But all the same, this is my home and this is my country so I am back. I am also happy to have received an award at the festival,” Lazarus said.
Lazarus left the country with filmmaker Clem Kwizombe, who was part of the crew that produced Lazarus’ documentary screened at the festival.
The documentary was shot by Emmy winner and academy award nominee David Darg from Los Angeles, assisted by Kwizombe.
The film, tells the story of Lazarus, a street side musician, singing about the plight of people with albinism, who are being killed for their body parts in Malawi and East Africa.
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