FREE GIG : vinspired Lake of Stars presents The Good Natured and Guests

Celebrate the release of festival dates and venue with the third in a series of FREE priceless live events at Rich Mix on Wednesday 7th April. This time round we have up and coming electro-pop band The Good Natured, Botswana born singer-songwriter Tamanda Walker along with DJ sets from the legendary Ali B and support from Izzy Electric and Alex K (Itchy Soul).

'Up and coming quirky synth pop goddess dejour. The good natured is every bit as good as her rivals' (Metro). Female fronted electro-pop band 'The Good Natured' aka Sarah and her band have created much excitement amongst the UK music press , being championed by NME, The Guardian , The Sunday Times , Q Magazine and PopJustice. Art Rocker have said that 'Sarah is going far is this is anything to go by' and Channel 4 'can't wait to hear what she does next' .

http://www.myspace.com/thegoodnatured

Ali B is a prominent member of London’s leftfield scene. Over the last decade he has held down residencies at the capital’s two most influential clubs, the legendary Blue Note club and Fabric, where he has been from the day it opened. He has toured extensively in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Asia and the US, taking his sound to an international audience.Ali B currently hosts a weekly show on London’s Kiss FM.

In the age of the independent artist, Tamanda Walker is that rare diamond in the rough that is destined to shine over the music industry. With her soul tinged blend of pop, Tamanda has already cemented her status as “one to watch” on London’s live music scene.

April 2010 sees the eagerly anticipated release of Tamanda’s self-titled debut EP. For this EP Tam teamed up with Drew Horley (Estelle / Ty / Natalie Williams), DC Joseph (Musiq Soulchild / Beverley Knight) Yak Bondy (Amy Studt / Rachel Stevens) and Big Life writers, Maryann and Michael Tedstone to best showcase her versatile talent.

"Tam Walker is sensational …Quality with a capital “Q”! She represents a new breed of fresh and aspiring artists with a unique talent that sets her apart from the mob.” Bryan Mutambiranwa, Africa Inspired Foundation / The Africa Channel

http://www.myspace.com/tamwalkermusic

Izzy Electric runs three regular music nights (Apocalypstick, Night:Life and Home Coming) as well as contributing to The Camden Crawl, Lake of Stars Festival and one off events and parties.http://www.izzyelectric.com/

Alek K , part of Itchysoul dj collective with the same love and passion for music whether it be House, Disco, Funk, Baleric and Soul. http://www.myspace.com/itchy_soul

Along with great music, there will be stalls from Malawi Healthcare support UK http://www.mahecas.info/, Citezens UK http://www.citizen.org.uk/, Ganets Adventure School http://www.ganetsadventureschool.org/ and others.

Rich Mix also does some excellent food and will have some lovely drink deals on the night. So come along, enjoy the food, drinks and music and have a chat with the team about vinspired Lake of Stars 2010!

Event details: vinspired Lake of Stars presents: The Good Natured (Live), Ali B, Tamanda Walker (Live), Izzy Electric and Alex K (Itchy Soul)

Wednesday 7th April FREE ENTRY @ Rich Mix Arts Centre 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA.

RSVP on our new facebook fan page http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Lake-of-Stars/356889956151

Posted by vinspired volunteer Jenny

Check out http://www.vinspired.com/ to get involved

FREE GIG : vinspired Lake of Stars presents The Good Natured and Guests

Celebrate the release of festival dates and venue with the third in a series of FREE priceless live events at Rich Mix on Wednesday 7th April. This time round we have up and coming electro-pop band The Good Natured, Botswana born singer-songwriter Tamanda Walker along with DJ sets from the legendary Ali B and support from Izzy Electric and Alex K (Itchy Soul).

'Up and coming quirky synth pop goddess dejour. The good natured is every bit as good as her rivals' (Metro). Female fronted electro-pop band 'The Good Natured' aka Sarah and her band have created much excitement amongst the UK music press , being championed by NME, The Guardian , The Sunday Times , Q Magazine and PopJustice. Art Rocker have said that 'Sarah is going far is this is anything to go by' and Channel 4 'can't wait to hear what she does next' .

http://www.myspace.com/thegoodnatured

Ali B is a prominent member of London’s leftfield scene. Over the last decade he has held down residencies at the capital’s two most influential clubs, the legendary Blue Note club and Fabric, where he has been from the day it opened. He has toured extensively in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Asia and the US, taking his sound to an international audience.Ali B currently hosts a weekly show on London’s Kiss FM.

In the age of the independent artist, Tamanda Walker is that rare diamond in the rough that is destined to shine over the music industry. With her soul tinged blend of pop, Tamanda has already cemented her status as “one to watch” on London’s live music scene.

April 2010 sees the eagerly anticipated release of Tamanda’s self-titled debut EP. For this EP Tam teamed up with Drew Horley (Estelle / Ty / Natalie Williams), DC Joseph (Musiq Soulchild / Beverley Knight) Yak Bondy (Amy Studt / Rachel Stevens) and Big Life writers, Maryann and Michael Tedstone to best showcase her versatile talent.

"Tam Walker is sensational …Quality with a capital “Q”! She represents a new breed of fresh and aspiring artists with a unique talent that sets her apart from the mob.” Bryan Mutambiranwa, Africa Inspired Foundation / The Africa Channel

http://www.myspace.com/tamwalkermusic

Izzy Electric runs three regular music nights (Apocalypstick, Night:Life and Home Coming) as well as contributing to The Camden Crawl, Lake of Stars Festival and one off events and parties.http://www.izzyelectric.com/

Alek K , part of Itchysoul dj collective with the same love and passion for music whether it be House, Disco, Funk, Baleric and Soul. http://www.myspace.com/itchy_soul

Along with great music, there will be stalls from Malawi Healthcare support UK http://www.mahecas.info/, Citezens UK http://www.citizen.org.uk/, Ganets Adventure School http://www.ganetsadventureschool.org/ and others.

Rich Mix also does some excellent food and will have some lovely drink deals on the night. So come along, enjoy the food, drinks and music and have a chat with the team about vinspired Lake of Stars 2010!

Event details: vinspired Lake of Stars presents: The Good Natured (Live), Ali B, Tamanda Walker (Live), Izzy Electric and Alex K (Itchy Soul)

Wednesday 7th April FREE ENTRY @ Rich Mix Arts Centre 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA.

RSVP on our new facebook fan page http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Lake-of-Stars/356889956151

Posted by vinspired volunteer Jenny

Check out http://www.vinspired.com/ to get involved

One Man Thousand

The 1976 album Asaase Asa (Brobisco KBL 016) was a breakthrough hit for Alex Konadu, establishing him as Ghana's foremost exponent of "roots highlife." The title song is based on a true story about Mr. Asaase Asa, who lost both his wife and sister when they were killed by a falling tree. It is dedicated to all who have lost their loved ones.

Konadu had been singing since an early age, and became a leader of the Kantamanto Bosco Group before moving on to the band of the well-known Kwabena Akwaboah for three years and then to the Happy Brothers Band. After going solo he was discovered by the producer A.K. Brobbey and the rest, as they say, is history.

His ability to draw crowds wherever he goes has given Konadu the appellation "One Man Thousand." Withstanding the vicissitudes of fame and fashion, and staying true to his vision of pure, unadulterated highlife music, he has been an inspiration to Ghanaian musicians for years. While Konadu has issued many wonderful recordings over the decades, Asaase Asa is still considered one of his most noteworthy achievements. Enjoy!

Alex Konadu's Band - Obi Aware Wo

Alex Konadu's Band - Me Ne Me Aserene

Alex Konadu's Band - Obiri Pajampram

Alex Konadu's Band - Owuo Mpe Sika

Alex Konadu's Band - Emum Aso Dae

Alex Konadu's Band - Asem Ne Me Ara

Alex Konadu's Band - Asaase Asa

Alex Konadu's Band - W'awu Da Ho No

Download Asaase Asa as a zipped file here. For a taste of Alex Konadu recorded before a live audience, be sure to check out his album One Man Thousand Live in London.

Cycle for Ganet's Adventure School

Be part of our big cycling adventure from London to Rochester on Sunday 23 May! We leave from Tower Bridge, pass spots along the Thames which are famous for their culture, history and wildlife, and finish in the Medway town of Rochester. The aim of this 41 mile ride is to raise £4,000 to help pay for the construction of new classrooms at Ganet's Adventure School, a village primary school in Malawi.

Our route is a mostly traffic and hill-free, and so is suitable for cyclists of most abilities, even if you're not a regular rider. It follows a section of the well-signposted National Cycle Network's National Route One.
Read more about the route

Entry

Each rider will receive an entry pack, a ride information pack on the day and a t-shirt to wear on the day and to keep as a souvenir. The ride costs £15 per person, which also covers the costs of our overheads. Any money left over will go direct to Ganet's Adventure School.

Sponsorship

We ask each rider to pledge to raise a minimum of £100 for Ganet's Adventure School Fund. Each rider can set up their own donations page on www.virginmoneygiving.com, which allows people to sponsor you online and also takes care of donations eligible for Gift Aid.

Want to find out more? See our FAQ

Interested? RSVP to the event on Facebook or email info@ganetsadventureschool.org to receive updates.

Ready to sign up now? Fill in our online entry form.

If you're not a cyclist, please forward this information to any cyclists you know, and help Ganet's Adventure School to reopen!

Update from Malawi: classroom construction has begun!

I'm happy to announce that work started on clearing the land for Ganet’s Adventure School’s first permanent classrooms in the first week of March.

Gertrude Banda, the school principal, is very excited about this, and passes on her thanks to all of our supporters. Once the land has been cleared, foundations will be laid and then the building work should be complete by July. Government school inspectors will then assess the new building for suitability and safety, and then we hope that classes can restart in September.

All of this depends on us raising around £5,000 before completion of the building work, so we need donations and all kinds of help to raise this sum. So far, we have raised around a third of the sum required, and various activities are going on over the next few months to raise the rest.
Find out more about the construction of the classrooms

More news soon!

Steve McInerny
www.ganetsadventureschool.org

-----
Steve volunteered as a photographer at vinspired Lake of Stars 2009 and continues to support our project at events.

For volunteer opportunities including at the big festivals this summer got to http://www.vinspired.com

Cycle for Ganet's Adventure School

Be part of our big cycling adventure from London to Rochester on Sunday 23 May! We leave from Tower Bridge, pass spots along the Thames which are famous for their culture, history and wildlife, and finish in the Medway town of Rochester. The aim of this 41 mile ride is to raise £4,000 to help pay for the construction of new classrooms at Ganet's Adventure School, a village primary school in Malawi.

Our route is a mostly traffic and hill-free, and so is suitable for cyclists of most abilities, even if you're not a regular rider. It follows a section of the well-signposted National Cycle Network's National Route One.
Read more about the route

Entry

Each rider will receive an entry pack, a ride information pack on the day and a t-shirt to wear on the day and to keep as a souvenir. The ride costs £15 per person, which also covers the costs of our overheads. Any money left over will go direct to Ganet's Adventure School.

Sponsorship

We ask each rider to pledge to raise a minimum of £100 for Ganet's Adventure School Fund. Each rider can set up their own donations page on www.virginmoneygiving.com, which allows people to sponsor you online and also takes care of donations eligible for Gift Aid.

Want to find out more? See our FAQ

Interested? RSVP to the event on Facebook or email info@ganetsadventureschool.org to receive updates.

Ready to sign up now? Fill in our online entry form.

If you're not a cyclist, please forward this information to any cyclists you know, and help Ganet's Adventure School to reopen!

Update from Malawi: classroom construction has begun!

I'm happy to announce that work started on clearing the land for Ganet’s Adventure School’s first permanent classrooms in the first week of March.

Gertrude Banda, the school principal, is very excited about this, and passes on her thanks to all of our supporters. Once the land has been cleared, foundations will be laid and then the building work should be complete by July. Government school inspectors will then assess the new building for suitability and safety, and then we hope that classes can restart in September.

All of this depends on us raising around £5,000 before completion of the building work, so we need donations and all kinds of help to raise this sum. So far, we have raised around a third of the sum required, and various activities are going on over the next few months to raise the rest.
Find out more about the construction of the classrooms

More news soon!

Steve McInerny
www.ganetsadventureschool.org

-----
Steve volunteered as a photographer at vinspired Lake of Stars 2009 and continues to support our project at events.

For volunteer opportunities including at the big festivals this summer got to http://www.vinspired.com

Pack the sun cream: Volunteering in the Land of a Thousand Hills..

I was 27-and-a-half when I decided that I was going to live abroad and volunteer before I reached the age of 28.

I had been working as a journalist in London for about five years after leaving university and absolutely loved my job. I worked with great people, got to do fun stuff like going out on dawn raids on crack dealers' homes with the police, and forgot all about it at the weekend and had fun with my friends.

But I'd been in the job for a while and there was little prospect of me being promoted at my newspaper and journalists were being made redundant all over the place nationally, meaning the opportunity of getting a new job was slim.

So I decided it was time to actually do the thing I had thought about doing for years and years.

Friends of mine had been travelling around the world for years at a time, but that idea never really appealed to me, so I would just watch them go and welcome them back.

I always knew I had it in me to go abroad at some point, but I didn't just want to travel, I wanted to actually live somewhere and contribute to the community there. And also to see if I could build a new life in a different place away from all the people and things I knew.

Having been turned down by VSO because of my lack of experience, I started hunting around for smaller, grassroots organisations that I might be able to join. By talking to friends of friends and picking the brains of anyone who knew anything about the subject, I stumbled across a small charity based in Kigali , Rwanda , set up by some former students at my university.

I got in touch and their remarkably relaxed attitude meant I was gearing up to move to Kigali a few weeks after finding them.

This laissez-faire style was exactly what I was looking for, but has come with its own problems now I'm here, and I'm still trying to find my feet within the organisation.

But the decision to uproot and move out here was definitely a good one. I'm hoping that the experiences I have here may make me more focused and be able to decide what I want to do next with my career. But even if nothing that grand comes out of it, I will have learnt an awful lot and had good fun along the way, so I can't see how I can lose.

I didn't quite live up to my pledge though – I flew to Kigali four days after my 28th birthday...



Jenny Clover - 28 and a bit
Follow Jenny's adventure http://www.jenny-clover.blogspot.com/

----------

Jenny's top tips on volunteering abroad..

1) Make sure you thoroughly research the organisation you will be going with and know exactly what your role will be when you arrive – there's nothing worse than planning a big trip and ending up twiddling your thumbs.

2) Do a bit of research about how much essentials cost in the country you will be living in – in Kigali sun cream is £15 a bottle.

3) Don't be afraid to pack a few luxuries – you may think you'll be happy roughing it for a few months, but when you're thousands of miles from home it's good to be able to treat yourself, whether it's with a hairdryer, a good moisturiser or some DVDs.

4) Read up on the country you're visiting – a lot of people I've met in Kigali had no idea how developed and Westernised the city would be until they arrived. There have also been a number of terrorist attacks in the city over the last few months, which don't always make the news in the UK .

5) Make sure you have a back-up for everything essential – a photocopy of your passport and yellowfever vaccination certificate; more than one bankcard or means of accessing cash; a phone number for your host in case your plane is delayed; somewhere else to stay if for some reason you aren't picked up from the airport; a large supply of any medication or malaria pills; at least two travel adaptors – power surges are common.

6) It's easy to hang around with other volunteers and ex-pats but if you can, stay with a local family and try to make friends with people who are from the country you're in – you'll get a much better flavour of what the place is all about and the food will almost certainly be better.

Pack the sun cream: Volunteering in the Land of a Thousand Hills..

I was 27-and-a-half when I decided that I was going to live abroad and volunteer before I reached the age of 28.

I had been working as a journalist in London for about five years after leaving university and absolutely loved my job. I worked with great people, got to do fun stuff like going out on dawn raids on crack dealers' homes with the police, and forgot all about it at the weekend and had fun with my friends.

But I'd been in the job for a while and there was little prospect of me being promoted at my newspaper and journalists were being made redundant all over the place nationally, meaning the opportunity of getting a new job was slim.

So I decided it was time to actually do the thing I had thought about doing for years and years.

Friends of mine had been travelling around the world for years at a time, but that idea never really appealed to me, so I would just watch them go and welcome them back.

I always knew I had it in me to go abroad at some point, but I didn't just want to travel, I wanted to actually live somewhere and contribute to the community there. And also to see if I could build a new life in a different place away from all the people and things I knew.

Having been turned down by VSO because of my lack of experience, I started hunting around for smaller, grassroots organisations that I might be able to join. By talking to friends of friends and picking the brains of anyone who knew anything about the subject, I stumbled across a small charity based in Kigali , Rwanda , set up by some former students at my university.

I got in touch and their remarkably relaxed attitude meant I was gearing up to move to Kigali a few weeks after finding them.

This laissez-faire style was exactly what I was looking for, but has come with its own problems now I'm here, and I'm still trying to find my feet within the organisation.

But the decision to uproot and move out here was definitely a good one. I'm hoping that the experiences I have here may make me more focused and be able to decide what I want to do next with my career. But even if nothing that grand comes out of it, I will have learnt an awful lot and had good fun along the way, so I can't see how I can lose.

I didn't quite live up to my pledge though – I flew to Kigali four days after my 28th birthday...



Jenny Clover - 28 and a bit
Follow Jenny's adventure http://www.jenny-clover.blogspot.com/

----------

Jenny's top tips on volunteering abroad..

1) Make sure you thoroughly research the organisation you will be going with and know exactly what your role will be when you arrive – there's nothing worse than planning a big trip and ending up twiddling your thumbs.

2) Do a bit of research about how much essentials cost in the country you will be living in – in Kigali sun cream is £15 a bottle.

3) Don't be afraid to pack a few luxuries – you may think you'll be happy roughing it for a few months, but when you're thousands of miles from home it's good to be able to treat yourself, whether it's with a hairdryer, a good moisturiser or some DVDs.

4) Read up on the country you're visiting – a lot of people I've met in Kigali had no idea how developed and Westernised the city would be until they arrived. There have also been a number of terrorist attacks in the city over the last few months, which don't always make the news in the UK .

5) Make sure you have a back-up for everything essential – a photocopy of your passport and yellowfever vaccination certificate; more than one bankcard or means of accessing cash; a phone number for your host in case your plane is delayed; somewhere else to stay if for some reason you aren't picked up from the airport; a large supply of any medication or malaria pills; at least two travel adaptors – power surges are common.

6) It's easy to hang around with other volunteers and ex-pats but if you can, stay with a local family and try to make friends with people who are from the country you're in – you'll get a much better flavour of what the place is all about and the food will almost certainly be better.

Another Souvenir

As a follow-up to the last post, here is another ukumbusho (souvenir) from another great exponent of Muziki wa Dansi, Tanzania's International Orchestra Safari Sound.

IOSS was formed in 1985 when businessman Hugo Kisima dissolved his group the Orchestra Safari Sound, and recruited six members of Mlimani Park Orchestra to form a new orchestra. IOSS & Mlimani were considered the two top rivals for leadership of the Tanzanian music scene for a time but for some reason Kisima dissolved IOSS in the early '90s. Confusingly, at one point Ndala Kasheba briefly revived the "old" Orchestra Safari Sound, and there may have been two factions of the International Orchestra Safari Sound, the IOSS (Ndekule) and IOSS (Duku Duku).

Shukrani kwa Mjomba (Ahadi/Flatim MSCAS 513) is credited to the International Orchestra Safari Sound (Ndekule), and as usual with Ahadi/Flatim releases provides no recording information other than a track-listing. As "Chatu Mkali" on the cassette inexplicably cuts off in the middle of the song, I've used the version from the CD Musiki wa Dansi: Afropop Hits from Tanzania (Africassette AC 9403, 1995), which is still in print and available here. Enjoy!

International Orchestra Safari Sound - Shukrani Kwa Mjomba

International Orchestra Safari Sound - Shida

International Orchestra Safari Sound - Pendo

International Orchestra Safari Sound - Majuto

International Orchestra Safari Sound - Kaka Kinyongoli

International Orchestra Safari Sound - Chatu Mkali

Download Shukrani Kwa Mjomba as a zipped file here. More IOSS here. The batik at the top of this post is taken from this website.

A Tanzanian Souvenir

Orchestra Vijana Jazz, one of Tanzania's top dance bands, was founded in 1971 under the sponsorship of Umoja wa Vijana Tanzania, then the Youth League of the ruling Tanzania African National Union (TANU). Over the last couple of decades as the Tanzanian economy has "liberalized" I suspect Vijana has had to make its own way. It quite possibly may not exist anymore. The Orchestra has undergone numerous personnel changes over the years, notably the death of vocalist Hemed Maneti, who wrote some of the band's most memorable tunes like "Mary Maria" and "Tambiko la Pamba Moto."

"Ukumbusho" literally translates as "reminder" but it probably more closely means "souvenir" or "in memoriam." The cassette Ukumbusho: Hayati Hemed Maneti (Ahadi/Flatim MSKCAS 514) was apparently issued to commemorate the life of Vijana's beloved lead singer. As usual for an Ahadi/Flatim production the sound quality is not up to snuff. Musically it's memorable indeed.

Orchestra Vijana Jazz - Jiko Limenuna

Orchestra Vijana Jazz - Najilaumu

Orchestra Vijana Jazz - Nilitaka Iwe Siri

Orchestra Vijana Jazz - Unikubalie

Orchestra Vijana Jazz - Ndoa Ni Kuvumiliana

Orchestra Vijana Jazz - Madaraka Kwenye Bar

Download Ukumbusho as a zipped file here. More Vijana Jazz on Likembe here, and you can find another great cassette by them here.

PREVIEW - FREE Afrikan Boy gig at Rich Mix - THIS WEDNESDAY 3rd March

Vibrant young Afrobeat MC Afrikan Boy is bringing his unique urban sound to the Rich Mix Arts Centre in Shoreditch for a FREE showcase as part of the vinspired Lake of Stars residency. The second in the series of Priceless Live events at Rich Mix, the night will also feature a live acoustic set from hotly tipped songstress Valentina and DJ sets from Sinden (KISS) and Ross Allen (ministryofsound.com, The Meltdown), who graced the Lake of Stars stage in Malawi in 2009.

Originally from Nigeria, Afrikan Boy, aka 20-year-old Shola Ajose, grew up in south London, and has been carving a name for himself on the grime/Afrobeat scene as a fusion MC from the age of 16.

His influences range from British-based performers such as Kano, Wiley and Dizzee Rascal to Nigerian artists including Sir Shina Peters, Fela and King Sunny Ade, and Shola prefers not to pigeon-hole his style. Under the moniker Afrikan Boy, he concentrates on using his music to elevate his fellow African people. His funny, yet critical, approach to thorny political topics such as immigration and visa problems has won him a rapidly-growing international fan base.



Afrikan Boy released his first official music video for Lagos Town in January to huge acclaim. He is currently in the studio recording a hotly anticipated debut album, 1444 Musik, building on the success of tracks from his mixtape, Can of Whoopass, Vol. 1: The Rise of Captain Africa.


Shola believes in ploughing his own furrow, using his own and his family’s experience to inspire his music. His offbeat lyrical stylings capture the essence of real life behind the violence stereotypically associated with the London grime scene, and his confident wordplay and assured stage presence make him one to watch in 2010.


While studying for a Psychology degree at Brunel University, Shola has also found time to open for Prince’s back-to-back shows at London’s O2 in 2007, and tour with the likes of M.I.A. Afrikan Boy also appears on a remix of M.IA.’s hit single Paper Planes, and collaborated on her 2007 album Kala.

The vinspired Lake of Stars monthly residency at the Rich Mix Arts Centre in Shoreditch was launched in February by Andreya Triana (Ninja Tune) and Nick Mulvey (Portico Quartet). Festival founder Will Jameson says:

“Our residency is an exciting opportunity for us to stage free quality live events in the heart of Shoreditch, giving people a small glimpse of what our festival is all about. We are going to be booking some of the brightest talent of 2010 - and obviously in these cash-strapped times the price is right too!”


Event details: vinspired Lake of Stars presents: Afrikan Boy
With support from Valentina (live acoustic set), Sinden (KISS) and Ross Allen (ministryofsound.com, The Meltdown)
Wednesday 3rd March FREE ENTRY @ Rich Mix Arts Centre 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA.

PREVIEW - FREE Afrikan Boy gig at Rich Mix - THIS WEDNESDAY 3rd March

Vibrant young Afrobeat MC Afrikan Boy is bringing his unique urban sound to the Rich Mix Arts Centre in Shoreditch for a FREE showcase as part of the vinspired Lake of Stars residency. The second in the series of Priceless Live events at Rich Mix, the night will also feature a live acoustic set from hotly tipped songstress Valentina and DJ sets from Sinden (KISS) and Ross Allen (ministryofsound.com, The Meltdown), who graced the Lake of Stars stage in Malawi in 2009.

Originally from Nigeria, Afrikan Boy, aka 20-year-old Shola Ajose, grew up in south London, and has been carving a name for himself on the grime/Afrobeat scene as a fusion MC from the age of 16.

His influences range from British-based performers such as Kano, Wiley and Dizzee Rascal to Nigerian artists including Sir Shina Peters, Fela and King Sunny Ade, and Shola prefers not to pigeon-hole his style. Under the moniker Afrikan Boy, he concentrates on using his music to elevate his fellow African people. His funny, yet critical, approach to thorny political topics such as immigration and visa problems has won him a rapidly-growing international fan base.



Afrikan Boy released his first official music video for Lagos Town in January to huge acclaim. He is currently in the studio recording a hotly anticipated debut album, 1444 Musik, building on the success of tracks from his mixtape, Can of Whoopass, Vol. 1: The Rise of Captain Africa.


Shola believes in ploughing his own furrow, using his own and his family’s experience to inspire his music. His offbeat lyrical stylings capture the essence of real life behind the violence stereotypically associated with the London grime scene, and his confident wordplay and assured stage presence make him one to watch in 2010.


While studying for a Psychology degree at Brunel University, Shola has also found time to open for Prince’s back-to-back shows at London’s O2 in 2007, and tour with the likes of M.I.A. Afrikan Boy also appears on a remix of M.IA.’s hit single Paper Planes, and collaborated on her 2007 album Kala.

The vinspired Lake of Stars monthly residency at the Rich Mix Arts Centre in Shoreditch was launched in February by Andreya Triana (Ninja Tune) and Nick Mulvey (Portico Quartet). Festival founder Will Jameson says:

“Our residency is an exciting opportunity for us to stage free quality live events in the heart of Shoreditch, giving people a small glimpse of what our festival is all about. We are going to be booking some of the brightest talent of 2010 - and obviously in these cash-strapped times the price is right too!”


Event details: vinspired Lake of Stars presents: Afrikan Boy
With support from Valentina (live acoustic set), Sinden (KISS) and Ross Allen (ministryofsound.com, The Meltdown)
Wednesday 3rd March FREE ENTRY @ Rich Mix Arts Centre 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA.

Volunteering for Stardom

Ahead the second installment of vinspired Lake of Stars' monthly residency at London's Rich Mix on Wednesday March 3rd, three young journalists review last month's opening night...

Lake of Stars is an annual music festival in Malawi funded by vinspired, an organisation set up to connect young people with volunteering opportunities. On the 3rd February 2010, the vinspired Lake of Stars Malawi Music Festival came to the Rich Mix venue in East London with a night of music from various genres. It was a full house of soul and African vibes and culture. Headliners reporters went along to take in the attractions and interview some of the evening’s performers.

Music was not the event’s only attraction, the night hosted stalls for fashion and charity, a showcase of Malawi’s best. As the first of its kind to be held in London, the headliner of the night Andreya Triana took to the stage with her sultry soul voice and her guitarist.

Kicking the night off was up and coming musician Nick Mulvey, entertaining the crowd with his acoustic guitar and infusion of African music. As well as being an eminent solo artist, Nick is also a quarter of the four piece modern jazz band Portico Quartet.

With him being so heavily influenced by Malawian and other African music he expressed how touched he was to be a part of the event, “it’s always been of interest to me. I always thought every year, I’d love to get in there and do some work. I’d love to go there and at least be involved with organising it. Then they got in touch with me. I met so many good people and plus it was a lovely holiday”.

Having volunteered with various organisations himself, Nick also stressed how important he felt it was for young people to volunteer their time, “I think it’s great. It’s really important as a young person to be a part of something bigger than yourself. There’s just so much you can learn from being proactive and being a part of a big opportunity, it’s really important. You got to get involved”.

For some on the night, the event was something much closer to their heart. Being a Malawian native, Kimba, the MC on the night, expressed why the event was such a hit with him. Kimba took time out to speak to us about his music and involvement with Lake of Stars, expressing the passion he has for both his country and music.

Q: What is the inspiration for your music?

A: I like being part of a band, I could never be a solo artist; I like that vibe of working when everyone has something to bring to the table. Sometimes someone will say I have a concept or idea, I’ve got a bit of music do you think you could write something. Mostly I’m alone in my room writing stuff (laughs).

Q: What are your feelings on the work that vinspired have been doing with the Lake of Stars projects like the Malawi Music festivals?

A: I have been excited and passionate from the beginning, because I’ve felt that it is such a killer idea. Here there are so many festivals like Glastonbury but in Malawi it is the only one of its kind so when it’s on it really is the place to be. For me it has always been the question of how I can assist whether musically or even socially, that’s my passion to use my talents to do some good.

Q: Have you been involved with any other projects and what do you aim to achieve with the Lake of Stars project?

A: I have mostly been involved with music but I couldn’t do what I wanted to do back home because of the facilities out there, Malawi really is not catered for the music industry. I am looking to help rectify that with the Lake of Stars project. I want to start a music development initiative back home, with something as simple as facilitating music instruments just anything to help the music scene.

Q: Do you think it is important for young people to get into volunteering

A: Definitely, because this is just one great example of what you can do with volunteering, the idea of volunteering is a bit dated to some people but there is actually a lot you can do that is not only beneficial to a cause but also interesting.

This story was produced by Chika Ekemezie, 19, Tajha Myer-Ferreira, 18 and Mikhail Casalis, 16 from Headliners, a journalism programme for young people aged eight to 19. www.headliners.org

If you are 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities on vinspired.com

Volunteering for Stardom

Ahead the second installment of vinspired Lake of Stars' monthly residency at London's Rich Mix on Wednesday March 3rd, three young journalists review last month's opening night...

Lake of Stars is an annual music festival in Malawi funded by vinspired, an organisation set up to connect young people with volunteering opportunities. On the 3rd February 2010, the vinspired Lake of Stars Malawi Music Festival came to the Rich Mix venue in East London with a night of music from various genres. It was a full house of soul and African vibes and culture. Headliners reporters went along to take in the attractions and interview some of the evening’s performers.

Music was not the event’s only attraction, the night hosted stalls for fashion and charity, a showcase of Malawi’s best. As the first of its kind to be held in London, the headliner of the night Andreya Triana took to the stage with her sultry soul voice and her guitarist.

Kicking the night off was up and coming musician Nick Mulvey, entertaining the crowd with his acoustic guitar and infusion of African music. As well as being an eminent solo artist, Nick is also a quarter of the four piece modern jazz band Portico Quartet.

With him being so heavily influenced by Malawian and other African music he expressed how touched he was to be a part of the event, “it’s always been of interest to me. I always thought every year, I’d love to get in there and do some work. I’d love to go there and at least be involved with organising it. Then they got in touch with me. I met so many good people and plus it was a lovely holiday”.

Having volunteered with various organisations himself, Nick also stressed how important he felt it was for young people to volunteer their time, “I think it’s great. It’s really important as a young person to be a part of something bigger than yourself. There’s just so much you can learn from being proactive and being a part of a big opportunity, it’s really important. You got to get involved”.

For some on the night, the event was something much closer to their heart. Being a Malawian native, Kimba, the MC on the night, expressed why the event was such a hit with him. Kimba took time out to speak to us about his music and involvement with Lake of Stars, expressing the passion he has for both his country and music.

Q: What is the inspiration for your music?

A: I like being part of a band, I could never be a solo artist; I like that vibe of working when everyone has something to bring to the table. Sometimes someone will say I have a concept or idea, I’ve got a bit of music do you think you could write something. Mostly I’m alone in my room writing stuff (laughs).

Q: What are your feelings on the work that vinspired have been doing with the Lake of Stars projects like the Malawi Music festivals?

A: I have been excited and passionate from the beginning, because I’ve felt that it is such a killer idea. Here there are so many festivals like Glastonbury but in Malawi it is the only one of its kind so when it’s on it really is the place to be. For me it has always been the question of how I can assist whether musically or even socially, that’s my passion to use my talents to do some good.

Q: Have you been involved with any other projects and what do you aim to achieve with the Lake of Stars project?

A: I have mostly been involved with music but I couldn’t do what I wanted to do back home because of the facilities out there, Malawi really is not catered for the music industry. I am looking to help rectify that with the Lake of Stars project. I want to start a music development initiative back home, with something as simple as facilitating music instruments just anything to help the music scene.

Q: Do you think it is important for young people to get into volunteering

A: Definitely, because this is just one great example of what you can do with volunteering, the idea of volunteering is a bit dated to some people but there is actually a lot you can do that is not only beneficial to a cause but also interesting.

This story was produced by Chika Ekemezie, 19, Tajha Myer-Ferreira, 18 and Mikhail Casalis, 16 from Headliners, a journalism programme for young people aged eight to 19. www.headliners.org

If you are 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities on vinspired.com