By CHUSA SICHONE –
VETERAN reggae artiste Chris Aka says there is need for serious political will and a vibrant recording company for the Zambian music industry to rekindle its lost glory.

. Aka

Chris said in an interview with the Times Weekend Entertainment that the local music industry flourished  in the past due to political will and a vibrant recording industry like Teal Record Company.
Chris said the political will to help the Zambian music industry has dwindled over the years as compared to other African countries.
He said though there are many recording studios that have sprung up the country still lacks a serious recording company of note.
“We have abundant talent, we have enough recording studios but we need a professional record company to match Teal Records.I think you remember those days glory days of serious recording in Zambia. This is the company that recorded artists like the late Pichen Kazembe, the late Paul Ngozi, the great Witch…
“I don’t know where we went wrong. Wherever there has been political will, the music industry has grown,” he said.
The award-winning artiste cited Malawi, Zimbabwe and Kenya, among other countries where political will has effectively contributed to the growth of the music industries.
Chris observed that music is a business and thus requires a lot of attention for it to be profitable and that he will be lying if he said the Zambian music industry is growing.
Chris, who has been in the music business for more than 20 years, charged that the Zambian music industry has been “turned upside down” as there is no protocol.
He gave Zimbabwe as an example of a country where it easy to identify who the biggest musician is which isn’t the case in Zambia.
“The music industry has been turned upside down. Iam saying this because I have an experience of over 20 years in this music industry. I have shared the stage with musicians like PK Chishala, that’s where I am coming from so I understand this industry very well.
“And I have had opportunity to be exposed to these other music industries outside Zambia so basically that’s why I am saying we need to put back where it used to be. Am not against any other type of music but wherever you go there is protocol,” Chris said.