Former XYZ first lady Macarinah is gearing up for her debut CD release
Little is known about Macarinah,one of the first ladies in XYZ before Mya and Sutu. Backed by her experience in the music industry,she feels she is ready to release her debut album under Digital X. Other than the popular Petersen Zagaze assisted single "Chilikuli Ine" the album will include the songs "Unavailable" featuring Kaladosous, "Ngatisindiwe" featuring Kay Figo, "Use and Ditch" featuring Cactus and "Happyness".
Macarinah, who was born Macarinah Chimuka Muchende, 22 years ago, would have loved to emulate her mother, the illustrious former AMBA 04 dancer-cum-singer, Barbara Taylor, but nay, Macarinah feels she is in her own world of music. A year before the Dancehall music darling, who also doubles as a fashion designer was born, her mother was already registering her presence with a girlie group called AMBA 04, an acronym of Aggie (Keshi), Maureen (Bongula), Barbara (Mwakapandula-Taylor) and Aggie (Mutale). Barbara Taylor, the only surviving member of the quartet (the rest of the trio have since passed on), has since gone gospel and currently ministering in the tourist capital of Livingstone.
But as for Macarinah, getting into music was not by accident because as a toddler, she grew up swinging in the shadows of her mother, Ms Taylor, arguably, one of the finest Zambian traditional music architects. “I was about 13 or 14 years old when my heart told me I could actually sing having attempted at the stage while at Mwinilunga High School where I completed my junior secondary school,” revealed Macarinah. According to the beautician, who could easily win a beauty/fashion contest, she was actively involved in various school variety shows as well as being a member of the school choir.
Her early influence included the likes of Whitney Houston, Brick & Lace and Toni Braxton, three of the US most established and successful songbirds of the 80s and 90s.
Locally, obviously the influence of her mother and mentor, Ms Taylor, was irresistible, while the music of Lily T and Jane O (Osborne) always made the youngster skip her school homework. However, after school, just when the songbird’s siblings and parents thought she would jump into any opportunity to get closer to the stage, she opted to study Computer Science in case music failed her in future.
“After completing my high school in 2007, I enrolled at the Marshal Fields Institute, but after just eight months, I discontinued with the course to pursue my long life dream of becoming a recording and performing artiste,” said Macarinah, who completed her high school at Jacaranda Basic School in Lusaka.
The former Mumbwa High School pupil quickly utilised every opportunity which came her way by sneaking into the studio when mum Barbara Taylor was recording. Often times, permission granted, the teenager had also witnessed her mum’s early dazzling performances at among other venues, their birthplace, Mumana Pleasure Resort and Chainama Hotel. “Given an opportunity, I had also backed such artistes as Lily T and Maureen ‘Lupo’ Lilanda, both whom I credit for my early inspiration in music,” said Macarinah.
With this seemingly encouraging musical springboard, little known Macarinah sneaked into the Digital X Studios and convinced the producers that she had all what it takes to be a music star. “It was while at Digital X that I also became part of the XYZ crew, actually, I was the first XYZ diva before Maya came on board,” bragged Macarinah. With the likes of P-Jay, Ruff Kid, and Slap D, Macarinah was part of the hugely successful XYZ rappers and singers, who released the XYZ Anthem song in 2008.
Two years later, the relentless songster unceremoniously quit the XYZ crew to pursue a solo career that quickly saw the coming on the scene of the new ‘Queen of Dancehall’ music. With confidence in the Digital X crew of Raydo and Gibson Phiri, Macarinah entered the Digital X Studios and released four singles. “I released four singles with Digital X with the songs Chilikuline featuring Petersen and Who Is That Girl taking the airwaves by storm,” claimed the songbird, who also adores the music of Brisky, Chichi and Kay Kanyelele. Other songs that introduced the songbird to the local music include her collaborated song with one Chizy titled Sweetie Ngatauliko and her own testimony on the song Macachizy.
Armed with these relatively new ditties on the scene, Macarinah performed at some corporate as well as club bashes here and there with the diva’s memorable concert being the 2009 MTN farewell party for one of its executives, where the likes of Shyman and P-Jay also performed.
Others that followed include some buzzing shows around the capital at such venues as the Prime Pub, the Smugglers Inn during the Miss NIPA 2009 and at the American Dome during the Miss UNZA 2009 fashion and modelling shows. During the same year, the determined singer was also part of the Lusaka revue that gigged and triggered some fine square-biz in the border town of Nakonde. (Extracts from dailymail)
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