Wikise’s star rising

By Deus Mpeta

He registered his name in the music industry with his hit Shabarakatakali in 2017. He had just been in music for two years then. As if the song itself was not enough, the music video on the same was a smasher. In this funny video Shabarakatakali, Abusa Che Wikise played a pastor who is trying to save people through  alternative ways of reverence. This video turned Wikise into a household name. It pulled an unexpected crowd.

Two years later, in 2019, he released a deadly ‘bomb’ which he called Chikamphulikire. It won the Song of the Year Award and he earned the ultimate Artist of the Year Award at the Urban Music People (UMP) 2019 Blended Edition awards. Wikise was the only artist to bag two awards on the night. He can be said to be the next big thing in the country’s    musical arena.

Slow but sure

Born Frank Chawinga on 18 September 1992, Wikise took his name from the surname Chawinga from where he formed ‘Chawixy’, and then made it short to Weexy. He then changed it to Wikise because people were failing to pronounce ‘Weexy’.

While some are born and grow up in a music family it was not the case with Wikise. Passion for music is what really drove him into the music industry. His first professional song titled Khama recorded at Manzy Sound System Records in 2015 did not make any impact.

Wikise: I don’t think I will release an album

Wikise has done some songs like N’zamuwanthu, Ng’we Ng’we Ng’we, Uli N’zingati, Ex Mundisamale, Mwamuna Alirenji, Deliverance, Galamukani, Osamangolubwalubwa, Hater Shut Up and Nthawi among others. But people’s overwhelming response to Chikamphulukire has shocked and motivated him to do more as far as bringing new and quality music was concerned.

“The song has also challenged me that I need to do more if I am to win the hearts of the people. Again, there is need to take your time when releasing songs otherwise I am happy with the progress I have made and God has really opened up doors for me,” Wikise says.

On releasing an album, he, says he is not a fan of albums and that he has no intentions of   releasing one.

“I don’t think I will release an album. For now, I am only talking singles and I think it will be  singles throughout. Let me just say that I will never work on albums,” he says.

In most of the songs Wikise likes using church terms because he wants to be unique so that people should easily identify his works. The artist has done collabos with many other artists but he cherishes the collabo with Nitrix in the song Chithumwa. He also reveals that Nitrix is his best friend in music.

Hitting the limelight has earned him both embarrassing and memo- rable moments as an artist.

He says: “The most embarrassing moment has been when people point fingers at me saying ‘uyo uyo anaimba Shabarakatakali uja’. I always feel embarrassed. But the most memorable moment was the day more people used my Shabarakatakali video clip as their status on WhatsApp.”

To promote the urban music industry in the country, Wikise thinks, musicians need to be more creative.

As a person it pisses him the most when some people undermine his capabilities. But Wikise, who does not have any dream car, describes himself as a nice guy in real life.

“I like chilling and cracking jokes; but not on social media,” he says.

Did you know? Apart from rapping, Wikise is also a comedian. Aside music, his life is not idle. He is a small-scale entrepreneur. He falls for Ali Kiba of Tanzania as his favourite international urban artist while on the local music rap industry he feels Gwamba is ruling.

Wikise’s social media details are: Facebook (Personal account); Che Wikise while official Facebook page is Wikise1992.