We are thrilled to introduce you to an exceptional musician whose talent knows no bounds. Meet Sam Nyambe, a versatile Keyboard Player, Artist Producer, and Singer/Songwriter with an extraordinary musical journey to share. Sam also graced the screens of Africa's most prominent paid television network, providing scores for beloved drama series such as Mpali, Zuba, My Kitchen Party, and King Buga.
We had a chat with Sam Nyambe on his journey as a producer and artist in the Afro Music industry thus far and this is what he said.
Can you tell us about your journey as an Afro-musician? How did you get started in the industry?
I started playing the piano in 2007 at age 15; and at the beginning of 2011 I met Abel Chungu Musuka and he introduced me to Pompi, Mag44 (AKA MR MANDO). From there I became the Lotahouse music director. I then started to work with almost every artist in the music industry playing, co-producing songs and albums. I played on EVERY Pompi, Abel Chungu Musuka and Mag44 album. On one occasion in the studio recording for Mag44, he asked me to lay down a chorus for one of his songs “Imagine” and from that moment on I began to write my own songs.
How does your African heritage influence your music and songwriting?
Being and living in Zambia made me look at music from different angles because of the vast tribes, traditions and traditional ceremonies– which means different rhythms and styles of drumming and singing. As a musician I look at music from different genres and try to blend them together.
Can you talk about a particularly memorable moment or performance in your career so far?
It was in Uganda and we were doing what was dubbed the BORN FREE concert. We had 8,000 tickets sold with an all-Zambian team. The concert made so much buzz in the city that the President Yoweri Museveni requested to attend the concert and really loved the show afterwards!
It was unforgettable.
Can you tell us about any upcoming projects or collaborations you have in the works?
I had the opportunity of recording at the prestigious TREESOUNDS Studio in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a great opportunity to record there, where artists such as Drake, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, etc record their music. I produced a song there and it is a vibey Afro beat song called Wreckless set to be released on June 9th.
Can you discuss any challenges you've faced as an Afro-musician and how you've overcome them?
Some of the challenges I’ve faced are that Afrobeat’s has now been dubbed as Nigerian music. A lot of people would put me in a box and say I am Nigerian and want me to sing or sound a certain way but it’s about constantly working towards the end goal which is fusing Zambian rhythms and sounds to bring out my uniqueness and also show the uniqueness of Zambian music.
Can you give us a sneak peek into your creative process when writing and recording new music?
When I write a song, it's usually pretty casual. I'll have a melody playing in my head, so I start humming or singing it out loud. Then, I plop down at the piano and start figuring out chords and progressions that match the melody. From there, I just let the words flow and try to bring them together with the music. It's all about vibing with the song and seeing where it takes me.
That's pretty much how I usually go about it.
How do you stay true to your roots while also appealing to a global audience?
Staying true is about finding a balance between evolving with the times and the sound and keeping the core characteristics which make you as an artist, which for me are Zambian chants and rhythmic singing.
Can you tell us about any notable collaborations or features you have had with other artists?
I have featured on Chef187 NALAMUPAMPAMINA. I also co-produced the song that was used as in the BLACK PANTHER:WAKANDA FOREVER Official Trailer. Some other proud moments that I worked on are an upcoming film Mwabi, set to premiere on Netflix in mid-2023.
Can you tell us about any notable achievements or awards you've received in your career?
I think it was when I was nominated for Best Keyboard Player at the Zambia Music Awards.
Can you tell us about any exciting new projects or ventures you're working on outside of music?
I am signing contracts with FIFA ‘23, NBA 2k23, Polaroid, National Geographic and Fortnite for them to use the music I produced in their games.
We can´t wait to see what Sam Nyambe does next!
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