Additionally, Malawians working in mines in South Africa and Mozambique influenced the fusion of music styles, giving rise to genres such as Kwela.
Notable among them was Tony Bird, a folk-rock singer-songwriter born in Nyasaland, whose music blended Malawian and Afrikaner traditions.
Under President Hastings Banda, the Malawian state censored music deemed sexually or politically subversive.
Following the first multiparty elections in 1994, artists gained the freedom to express themselves publicly, fostering the growth and development of Malawian music into the diverse forms heard today.
Notable names include Wambali Mkandawire, Erik Paliani, Lucius Banda, Tay Grin, Esau Mwamwaya, Tsar Leo, and Lawrence Khwisa (LULU).
By the beginning of the 1970s, electric guitars had become common and American rock and roll, soul and funk influences the music scene, resulting in a fusion called afroma.
[citation needed] Since 1994, rap has surged in Malawi from urban centers such as Blantyre and Lilongwe to rural areas as Nkhata Bay or Chitipa.
Mandela Mwanza, Phyzix, Dominant 1, Incyt, Cyclone, A.B, The Basement, Pittie Boyz, The Daredevilz, Lomwe, the Legendary Barryone, Nthumwi Pixy, Biriwiri, Renegade & Pilgrim, Jay-T Pius Parsley as well as international stars like Tay Grin, Gwamba, South African based St Bosseratti.
Home Grown African, Tsar Leo and Lxrry are some of the different hip-hop acts that are making news as part of the new school, but with an international appeal to their music.
[2] English is the most used language in Malawi rap music, including in newspaper articles, discussions among youths, and radio broadcasts.
Pope John Paul II's 1989 visit did much to inspire the rise in gospel music, which was also fueled by the country's economic conditions and poverty.
Popular Malawian gospel artists include Ndirande Anglican Voices, Ethel Kamwendo-Banda, Grace Chinga, Lloyd Phiri, George Mkandawire, and the Chitheka Family.
David (formerly Stix from Real Elements, KBG, the founder of NyaLimuziK,[8] and Gosple (Aubrey Mvula) [9] are now the leaders in this form of gospel rap.
[citation needed] Malawi's genre R& B is growing and has been made popular with artists like Maskal, Theo Thomson, Sonye and Dan Lu.
There have also been more traditionalist performers and banda, like Alan Namoko, Micheal Yekha, Ndingo brothers, Millennium Sound Checks and Waliko Makhala.
In Malawi traditional dances include Manganje, Mganda, Tchopa, Beni, Malipenga, Ngoma, Chitelera, Likwata, Chiwoda, Masewe, Chimtali, Visekese, Khunju, Gule wa Mkulu and Chisamba.
Malawian artists have been known to creatively mix rock, r&b, and the American urban sound to create vibrant fusion music.