By Selma Neshiko
WINDHOEK– For a band with four songs and two music video to their name, Amazonkies have slowly but surely been penetrating the local industry with flare.
Originally from northern town of Ongwediva, they and started off as dancers before they took centre stage as musicians. The Kwaito group of Amazonkies features Thomas “Chicks” Kanime, Sakaria “Sacky-Boss” Elago, Martin “Dicks” Muunda and Tuhafeni Haimbodi “Twa-Twa” and are now ready to spice up the Kwaito music scene. Amazonkies’ willpower for music started in 2010 when they recorded their debut single titled Game Over, featuring two members of local group, Fresh Family, namely AJ-Fresh and V-Fresh who fascinated music lovers. “We started off as dancers but after meeting one of the Fresh Family members (Pala-Fresh) at a show somewhere in Ongwediva in 2011, he saw great potential in us and encouraged us to enter into the music industry. We featured two Fresh Family members on our first single, the song became a favored amongst the youth and from there we decided to become serious with the music game,” says Sacky-Boss.
In 2012, the group moved to Windhoek for some months with the aim of gaining more exposure. “When we moved to Windhoek we registered with the Namibian Association of Authors and Composers of Music (NASCAM) in order to be recognised as artists and not just dancers anymore. The same year we had our first TV interview on NBC,” says Chicks. In 2013, the boys recorded their second single titled We Made It, featuring Kwaito artist, Blacksheep. That same year, they met an upcoming video editor and director, Nahas Likius, better known as “Nash” who worked on their first music video with the song titled Nangula. “Nanguala is about a beautiful village champion who was wanted by every guy in the village,” says Twa-Twa.
In 2014, the group sat down to make major decisions about the future. The outcome was that Nash would become their Manager and permanent video director because they needed more individuals in order to achieve their set objectives.
“After these issues were sorted out, we recorded a hit song titled Panga Style. It instantly became a fan favourite and so we decided to shoot a music video in June 2014 but due to unforeseen circumstances, it could only be released in December,” adds Dicks. In making the video a success, the group got financial assistance from Medipark Ongwediva and two local businesspeople, Kaxwadi and Elia Shipuku.
Amazonkies are currently signed under their own record label Kalawa Blom Entertainment. “We have dreams of expanding Kalawa Blom Ent to greater heights one day, and would be catering for recordings, video making as well as a dancing academy. This is because there is too much unrecognised talent out there and it would also help keep our Namibian youth away from drug and alcohol abuse,” says Chicks.
Amazonkies hope to instill a new vibe in the industry with their singles that are now on local radio and TV stations and advises other artists not to be relax because they are ready to zest the game. For bookings and more information regarding Amazonkies contact: 0813834866/ 0814244309