Can Malawians sing? What does it take?

Goodson and Charity, thank you for giving me ammunition for this post. What you may lack in talent you certainly make up with your courage, for that I salute you!

But why is it that Malawians always seem to miss out on the limelight? Idols Africa – Malawi auditions were extremely painful and Malawi talent search shows like Pop Music Star can be agonizing. Vocal talent is few and far between with rare gems such as the powerful voice of Wambali and reggae smooth singing sensation Sally Nyundo. How come local church choirs are so moving yet most Malawian-English pop song renditions are so unbearable to hear. Is it language, accent, genre or something more biological? How come some have talent, others don’t?

I was overwhelmed by the wealth of information out there on the science of singing, you can approach it from any angle: from the biology, looking at how the larynx  (voice box) works to the physics of musical scales to the effect music has on us…If you interested in knowing more, I highly recommend the science of music or check out discussions at the science of singing.

But going back to Goodson and Charity…..what failed them? And is there a way for science to fix it?