kondwani ZULu 'The zeusmyster'
Kondwani “The Zeusmyster” Zulu is a literary and musical composer from Kalulushi, Zambia. Kondwani was born in Kitwe into a family richly nurtured by the hardworking values common to residents of the Copperbelt. As the first-born of three children, leadership and responsibility are values that can be felt in the breadth of his available body of compositions.
Forged from the resilient culture of the mining atmosphere of the Copperbelt, and blended with the cultural teachings of the Eastern tribes of Zambia, The Zeusmyster's personality allows him to deliver a uniquely Zambian perspective through his literature. Reflective in his work are the compositional influences of Chichewa gospel rhythms, speeches and quotes of African freedom fighters, dub poetry, and various indigenous Zambian artforms.Filial love, the hardships of the common labourer, wealth inequality, and humanism, constitute the bulk of the themes expressed in his compositions.
The Zeusmyster’s written compositions pay homage to the personalities of famous historical figures such as Emperor Haile Selassie I.
The marriage of word and sound in the Zeusmyster’s work, is done most beautifully when accentuated by the sounds of the saxophone, kalimba, handpan and guitars. The Zeusmyster’s sound may be described as the meditative middle ground between Jazz and reggae. His work can be seen as beautifully lacking in loyalty to a particular mode of delivery: songs, poems, essays and letters all have been used as conduits that appropriately reflect his personal philosophies. Whether in four-four time, or backed by nature’s soundscapes, The Zeusmyster’s words are a comfortable invitation to the collective meditative space that is organically created by any kind of music.
June 2023
Forged from the resilient culture of the mining atmosphere of the Copperbelt, and blended with the cultural teachings of the Eastern tribes of Zambia, The Zeusmyster's personality allows him to deliver a uniquely Zambian perspective through his literature. Reflective in his work are the compositional influences of Chichewa gospel rhythms, speeches and quotes of African freedom fighters, dub poetry, and various indigenous Zambian artforms.Filial love, the hardships of the common labourer, wealth inequality, and humanism, constitute the bulk of the themes expressed in his compositions.
The Zeusmyster’s written compositions pay homage to the personalities of famous historical figures such as Emperor Haile Selassie I.
The marriage of word and sound in the Zeusmyster’s work, is done most beautifully when accentuated by the sounds of the saxophone, kalimba, handpan and guitars. The Zeusmyster’s sound may be described as the meditative middle ground between Jazz and reggae. His work can be seen as beautifully lacking in loyalty to a particular mode of delivery: songs, poems, essays and letters all have been used as conduits that appropriately reflect his personal philosophies. Whether in four-four time, or backed by nature’s soundscapes, The Zeusmyster’s words are a comfortable invitation to the collective meditative space that is organically created by any kind of music.
June 2023
