Hosting the red carpet at the UMP Awards this weekend had me thinking a lot about Malawi’s entertainment industry.
Hosting the Red Carpet Interviews at UMP Awards, Dressed by Ntha
Firstly, let me say that I am sharing this as my experience as a woman entering and planning to stay in the entertainment industry in Malawi.
I actually never saw myself being in the entertainment industry in Malawi. Growing up I always saw myself ending up in Hollywood… possibly acting, doing music, dancing, designing – or something! I am naturally a creative and happen to be talented in different fields. I have a creative’s good eye, a very sharp and creative mind and a steady hand. That makes it easy for me to master most creative arts. I can draw, I can design. I can do photography/videography and recently I am a self taught Video Editor and Producer. I am almost done writing my first book and soon to be a published author. I am also a speaker and a closet poet. All these skills are selftaught and I hope to get better.
Late last year, I completed my undergraduate studies. That for me meant that I could no longer blame not chasing my dreams on my education. At the time I was already a blogger. I have been blogging for close to 5 years now. What started as blogging about my hair journey later became blogging about my personal style and eventually travel. I found myself in Travel Blogging. Why? My heart was right there. I enjoy travel, so what I wrote was from my heart. Discovering that was a push for me in the right direction… writing from the heart.
Now going through this year, I have been on a pursuit of figuring out who I am going to be. I am sure in my heart I have absolutely no interest in paper work and can thus not hold down a job as an economist or a demographer. At most I will work as a (visual) researcher (MA, Gender and Media) in the field of Gender Equality (Women’s Empowerment). I figured I cannot be a musician because God knows I am only good t mimicking voices (yas choir life!) I cannot be a designer simply because I also love to design and make what inspires me. I cannot be an actress – I lack the patience and none of the industries interest me that much anymore – not forgetting the inexistence of one right in my country.
So then begun the journey of finding my “Chiphwelemwe” as Karen (Miss Malawi First Princess 2008) said to me at Mzuzu fashion Week this year. She told me to find a way to use all my talents to work for one greater cause. Let me tell you, it has not been easy. It did not happen overnight. I guess we can say it took me 5 years. It has really been a challenge. I surprisingly still face the same challenges when more opportunities are presented to me… in deciding whether I can or cannot take on certain roles.
My TV show started with my love for Television. I grew up watching waaaay too much TV and I knew from a young age I wanted to be on TV. My parents say I used to go behing the television screen and ask them if they could see me through the TV from the back when I was a very little girl. When I was growing up I always dreamt hollywood. Modelling seemed like an easy way to get in but I was too short.
It came easy to me when I decided to “Just do what you love” but not immediately either. I love travelling, I love eating, I love exploring, I love having heart to heart conversations with people, I love designing and I like solving problems. So no the show idea did not come that easy. In fact, from the day we decided to start producing the show, it has changed so much you would not be able to recognise what we wanted in the beginning. That was finding the “Chiphwelemwe” and it really was God’s doing, not mine.
We planned to start airing on 2nd December, 2017. However, after consulting with zodiak, we have opted to wait until the black out situation is sorted given ratings are deeply affected (so fun being Malawian – let’s talk about that on the show!) We will communicate when exactly we shall start airing, hopefully before the end of January next year.
Now last Saturday I hosted the red carpet interviews at the UMP Awards. Initially I was meant to co-host the Awards but I had to remember who I am and say “Heart to Heart, Ntha” so the red Carpet interviews seemed more logical. That is knowing your chiphwelemwe, where your strengths lie. I think this post shows that this was a great choice. I still had to introduce the Minister of Culture, Arts and Crafts, Honorable Grace Obama Chiumia to the audience and was deeply humbled to do so. They were my first Malawian Awards to attend and it really was a great night. I mean look at this. Overall it was a great night. My friends walked away with Multiple Awards and I was so happy to see some souls I had fallen in love with on the Red Carpet taking home their awards. Beautifully deserved. And of course, as a cherry on top we premiered for the first time the TV Show we have been working on at the Awards.
I think entering the entertainment industry was easy for me. I started organising events when I was in Uni and became friends with a number of Celebrities. Heart to heart has always worked for me. I have met more online. Most of them have become my very very close family. If I didn’t know any better, I could very well be the biggest groupie there is in Malawi lol.
Gwamba, Gospel ArtistVJ Ice, ProducerNathan Tunes, International DJWaxy (Best new act 2017) – Stitch FraySuffix, Gospel ArtistCEO at Sac Cosmetics
Malinga, Reggae/Dancehall Artist
Knowing most of them makes it easy for my work. They are my friends, my family and it is so easy working with them and putting them on. Combining all my talents, I opted to be the one putting people in the Entertainment Industry in Malawi on. I opted to be the cheerleader for their talents, and the bouncing board for what they want the world to know about them. Small and budding as it is, the Malawian Entertainment Industry is actually a beautiful place to be.
As a woman in the industry, you could expect it to be catty (because women are just..) but I think this is the one industry I have seen women truly stick together. I have fallen in love 10 times over with women in this sector pursuing their different passions. I guess that is the thing about true creativity – it leaves very little room for hate. It is hard to be hating on someone unless you are competing with them. As long as you are treading your own path, all you have is love to give to other women.
Sangie, Reggae/Dancehall Artist on the Red Carpet – Dressed by ClemohBest Female Act 2017
Last but one, and most important on my list in Developing a loyal team. Even this, is a working progress too. I know I have changed videography teams at least thrice since we started shooting. Loyalty and commitment are paramount in bulding any team. As my Producer Tawanda would say, find your “Gems” and keep them. We are still collecting on this end.
Alice, Producer (My Malawi)
Wiza Jalakasi, Computer Scientist, Business Development Chief at Africa’s Talking and mans behind all the blogs(Centre) Cricky – Head VideoGrapher, My Malawi ShowVikula Kavwenje, CEO, Deadline Media
Lastly, seek God. For the past 4 years of my life I have truly trusted God with my life – through triumphs, pain and loss. I have let Him take the lead and everytime and I am convinced He has my best interests at heart and I can’t do it on my own. Let Him dictate your life and you just be an agent executing His plan through your life. I’m a living testimony.
But this is my story, and I know you have yours. I shared mine with hopes that you will find the heart to pursue your own. If you are a creative thinking of how to become relevant in the Entertainment industry, for me, value #1 is to remain true to yourself . Authenticity can be spotted from out of space, and that is the one thing that will make you stay relevant. A pretend act only lasts for so long.
Manage your brand, whatever it is, truest to you and your creative talents. You can use some of my strategies but only if they apply to you. I would very much advise you to live your own story your way, as did I mine – and I am still writing it.
I hope you find your Chiphwelemwe.
BTW how cute were my outfits at the Awards?
Both Dresses by me.
Till next time,
Ntha xx
Photos by Cricky Juster, Fusion Multimedia and Deadline Media
“Chiphwelemwe” : A collection of things that work together for one cause.
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Hi there would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with?
I’m going to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a hard time selecting between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal.
The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique.
P.S Sorry for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
Born in Mangochi, Malawi, and currently undertaking a graduate programme in Manhattan, New York, @NthandaManduwi is a digital creative, social scientist, and development professional with over 10 years of experience.
Beautiful you Ntha…. Love the Outfit
Thanks darling
This show was awesome and u where really looking amazing and international
Thank you Aimz x
Hope to find my “chiphwelemwe” as well. All the best in your endeavors. Nice read.
I am certain you are very close. All the best too Maru xx
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Good luck for the following!
I simply needed to thank you very much again. I am not sure the things that I could possibly have used in the absence of those strategies contributed by you concerning this question. It had been a very frustrating circumstance for me personally, however , understanding your skilled mode you processed the issue took me to leap for fulfillment. I am just grateful for your service and wish you know what a great job you have been getting into training the others through the use of your webpage. I’m certain you’ve never encountered all of us.
I simply wanted to develop a quick comment to say thanks to you for those lovely secrets you are sharing at this website. My rather long internet search has finally been compensated with pleasant strategies to exchange with my companions. I ‘d claim that we site visitors are quite endowed to dwell in a fabulous place with so many special individuals with good advice. I feel very much grateful to have discovered the site and look forward to really more exciting moments reading here. Thank you again for everything.
I just wanted to type a small remark so as to appreciate you for the fantastic hints you are giving here. My time intensive internet investigation has at the end been paid with sensible insight to go over with my family and friends. I ‘d tell you that most of us website visitors actually are really fortunate to be in a magnificent community with so many lovely individuals with insightful tips. I feel quite lucky to have encountered your entire weblog and look forward to so many more fabulous minutes reading here. Thank you once more for a lot of things.
My spouse and i have been very delighted Ervin could carry out his analysis using the ideas he discovered when using the web site. It is now and again perplexing to simply possibly be giving away tips and hints which men and women could have been selling. And now we fully grasp we have got you to thank because of that. These explanations you made, the straightforward website navigation, the relationships you help foster – it’s everything sensational, and it is letting our son and us consider that this concept is satisfying, which is certainly rather essential. Thanks for the whole lot!
I needed to compose you this very little observation to help thank you very much once again relating to the fantastic guidelines you’ve documented in this case. This is certainly open-handed of people like you to supply publicly what a number of us could possibly have advertised as an e-book to get some cash for their own end, particularly considering the fact that you might have done it if you ever desired. The tactics in addition acted to become a fantastic way to know that other people have a similar eagerness the same as mine to see significantly more when it comes to this matter. I believe there are thousands of more pleasant periods ahead for people who scan your website.
I’m also commenting to let you be aware of what a fine encounter my girl gained reading through the blog. She discovered some issues, with the inclusion of what it’s like to have a great coaching mood to make most people with no trouble fully understand several complicated topics. You actually surpassed people’s expectations. Thanks for distributing those insightful, trustworthy, educational as well as cool tips about your topic to Sandra.
I intended to compose you this little word to be able to give thanks again for these unique ideas you’ve shared in this case. It is certainly strangely generous with you to provide unhampered exactly what many of us would’ve made available as an electronic book in making some profit on their own, most notably now that you might have tried it in the event you wanted. Those techniques likewise worked to become great way to realize that the rest have a similar passion the same as my very own to figure out lots more related to this condition. I believe there are thousands of more pleasant instances ahead for individuals that scan through your blog.
I wish to express my appreciation to the writer for bailing me out of this problem. Right after looking throughout the the net and finding thoughts that were not powerful, I assumed my entire life was well over. Living devoid of the approaches to the issues you’ve solved by way of your short post is a crucial case, as well as those which might have in a wrong way affected my career if I had not noticed your website. Your know-how and kindness in touching all the things was tremendous. I don’t know what I would have done if I had not come upon such a point like this. I can now look ahead to my future. Thanks very much for this professional and sensible guide. I won’t think twice to propose your web blog to any person who will need guidance about this situation.
I visited several web pages but the audio feature for audio
songs current at this web page is truly fabulous.
My spouse and i felt absolutely satisfied that Raymond could finish up his research through your ideas he obtained through your weblog. It’s not at all simplistic just to happen to be offering concepts that many the others have been trying to sell. Therefore we figure out we have got you to give thanks to for this. Most of the explanations you’ve made, the simple website navigation, the relationships you can make it easier to create – it’s got many wonderful, and it is leading our son in addition to the family feel that the situation is interesting, and that’s quite essential. Thank you for all the pieces!
I want to show some thanks to this writer just for bailing me out of this type of predicament. As a result of looking out throughout the online world and coming across opinions which were not pleasant, I was thinking my entire life was over. Living devoid of the solutions to the issues you’ve solved all through your entire short post is a serious case, and the kind that might have negatively affected my career if I had not encountered your website. The natural talent and kindness in maneuvering the whole thing was very useful. I am not sure what I would’ve done if I had not encountered such a thing like this. I can at this moment relish my future. Thank you very much for your high quality and effective guide. I won’t hesitate to endorse the website to anybody who should receive guidelines about this matter.
Hi there would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with?
I’m going to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a hard time selecting between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal.
The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique.
P.S Sorry for getting off-topic but I had to ask!