Keturah's New Single Rolls From Malawi to la to Willie Nelson

Malawian singer and songwriter Keturah has just released a new single off her upcoming self-titled debut! "Nchiwewe (Ode to Willie Nelson)" came from her trip to Los Angeles to record the album. It was the first time out of Malawi and LA was quite the culture shock.

But she recorded at Hen House Studios on Venice Beach, and they're good friends and collaborators with Willie Nelson's family. Keturah got to go see Willie play live in LA while she was there and was blown away.

Returning to the studio, everyone was really inspired to make a country-infused song and they lucked out in getting Willie's own harmonica player, Mickey Raphael on the track. Here's what Keturah says about the meaning of the lyrics for "Nchiwewe (Ode to Willie Nelson)":

"In my country, many young people face heartbreaks, some end up hurting themselves, committing suicide, doing things that are not necessary. Sometimes we end up doing unnecessary things, we put all the faults on us, we feel guilty if the relationships or marriages end, we feel it's our fault. But sometimes it appears that we are not the problem - it's the other person who is the problem.

We have tried everything to make it work - and then we feel broken. But the others are the ones who are not good enough, They are like dogs biting people, taking advantage of people. And they will never be contented."

From the warm heart of Malawi, rises Keturah, a 27-year-old virtuoso arriving to the world stage with her self-titled debut. A 10-track odyssey chronicling Keturah's journey from the tiny remote home village of Monza to the shores of Venice, California, Keturah (coming May 19, 2023) updates traditional Malawian folk with contemporary rhythms from the greater African diaspora, a cultural exchange made possible through a unique opportunity to travel to Los Angeles to record her first full-length project.

Having never stepped foot on an airplane, let alone leave Malawi, Keturah's 30-hour trip proved to be a significant leap forward in an artist's journey that began on foot. As a child, Keturah first realized her musical potential on walks through her village with her uncle.

He'd strum his guitar and sing ballads. She'd just watch and listen until eventually gaining the confidence to join in with her own melodies. In song, she began to form a connection with her community that had long been elusive.

As a child she mostly kept to herself, often feeling more like an elder than a friend to her peers. She found solace in her thoughts or those of her mother, who often sat her down to share wisdom through stories and memories. The two became best friends until she passed away when Keturah was only 13. Having already lost her uncle, Keturah turned to music as a way of carrying forward her family's message.