In a bid to revolutionize music interaction among artists, UMP has announced that this year’s festival will feature an on-site recording studio, offering artists the opportunity to collaborate with their international counterparts.

UMP Director, Ken Zizwa Limwame, made the announcement during a press conference held this morning at Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre.

“We’re setting up a studio at Gecko Lounge, our VIP site. With so many artists from across Africa and beyond, as well as local talent, we want to use the unique spirit and atmosphere of Cape Maclear to inspire collaborations and create great music,” Limwame said.

Tapps Bandawe, who has partnered with UMP, was also present at the event. Bandawe, a renowned producer, shared his enthusiasm for the initiative, stating that his mission is to elevate Malawian music on the global stage.

“Partnering with UMP on this idea will make it easier to foster international collaborations,” he added.

Bandawe owns Gold Mountain Music, one of the country’s top-quality studios, which has produced music for both local and international artists.

“When I saw what UMP was planning, I was very excited. I spoke to our partners at Universal and shared the concept of having a recording studio on-site during the festival. It’s the first music festival to offer such a facility, and we are thrilled to be setting it up,” he said.

Through this joint partnership in addition to partnering with Universal Music Group, four collaborative projects from the festival will be marketed throughout the year, with a global reach in mind.

By Rashid Mkwehiwa