Wambali Mkandawire is one of the highly celebrated and legendary artists in the history of Malawian music.
He recorded his first internationally recognized album in 2002, just before his appointment as the first African to get the World Intellectual Property (WIPO) award for his outstanding contribution to music.
The same year, he put together and groomed a group of young Malawian artists known as ‘Ma Nyasa’ - the first professional afro jazz rock contemporary outfit in the country.
In 2003 Wambali received an award from Multi Choice for outstanding contribution to music. He later won the Best African Artist award by South African Music Award (SAMA).
He was also nominated for the KORA awards in the best Southern African Artist category, followed by the Celtel Luso Awards ‘Life Time’ achievement award.
He has performed at several International festivals including the OPPIKKOPPI, Makufe and the Santon Conference Centre in South Africa; Lake of Stars at Chintheche, Malawi; African Arts Festival at Africa University in Mutari, Zimbabwe.
He was sent to France by the French Cultural Centre on a month stint in various music programs, which included performing at a classical music festival in Bordeaux.
In 2007 Wambali launched his last album ‘Moto’ and retired from public performances to concentrate on pastoring a church and setting up a centre for training young people in cross cultural Christian life style and service to the rural,
He is a serving Board member for Action Aid International Malawi.
