Malawian artist Kell Kay has linked up with Maso Award winner Zeze Kingston and Phalombe Muzik creator Giboh Pearson on “WALE,” a blend of Urban Pop and Afropop that features two of the most intriguing talents in the country.
The tale behind the release is almost as interesting as the record. What was initially a lighthearted Monday Music Showdown, with each artist previewing distinct solo singles to be released the same day, transformed into a surprise combined reveal instead. So the friendly rivalry became a celebration of togetherness. There is hardly any organic marketing storytelling in Malawi’s music industry and it created the proper type of hype even before a single note was played.
All three performances combine catchy urban pop songs with Afro-inspired rhythms. But “WALE” lands on its feet thanks to the balance between the three performers. Bringing his Afropiano sensibility to the fore, Zeze Kingston is riding the same wave that won him Best Male Artist and Best Live Act at the Maso Awards in 2023. Giboh Pearson offers the street credibility of Southern Malawi that his Phalombe Muzik movement is famous for. Kell Kay is the chief architect on the record, holding it all together.
But the other three are not surpassed by any. So it feels like a real collaboration of three artists, not a collaboration with two guest verses. That connection is exactly what makes WALE one of Malawi’s most solid collaboration releases of 2026.
This is the kind of album Malawian music fans should be proud of seeing move beyond the country’s borders as they watch their own scene expand.
“WALE” is out now – go play it and let us know who of the three artists came through the toughest!
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