Paheja Siririka
WINDHOEK- The Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs) will this year honour Stoney Mubiana with a lifetime achiever’s award, the executive committee announced this week.
The late Stoney Mubiana remains one of the Zambezi region’s, and arguably nationally, celebrated artists to date as far as creativity and conscious music are concerned.
Katima Mulilo’s pride was one of the first from the region to combine traditional music with modern instrumentation, blending Kizomba and African beats. Together with his musical weights at the time, he became renowned for publishing backing tracks for local adverts.
Furthermore, the committee said Mubiana, who during his time encouraged women to join the music industry, was one of the trailblazers who were determined to push Namibian music and grow the industry, which was still in its infant stage.
His burning passion for music saw him quit his job to pursue knowledge in music. In 1990, he thus moved to Windhoek where he studied composition and music theory and also mastered the art of a keyboard.
Mubiana later became the Senior Music Librarian at the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), and a member of the Board of Directors of the Namibian Society of Composer sand Authors of Music. His contribution to the Namibian music industry was instrumental in igniting and setting local music and talent on a growth trajectory.
Speaking to Entertainment Now!, Stoney Mubiana’s son, Leon Mubiana, expressed his gratitude to the committee for honouring his late father. “Growing up with my father, I remember that he was very observant of the realities in his society and expressed it through his music and, as a kid, I could not relate because he did old people’s music,” said Leon.
He said as he grew older and with his passing, his music became a highlight. “If I need to hear advice in 2019 from my father, all I have to do is put on my headphones and play one of his songs. He sang a song about taking care of kids, the love of his life, etc. When it comes to having a well-rounded view on the important little things, I remember that he always used that as a value check for his music,” said Leon.
Leon’s favourite song is about his dad questioning his grandfather, who would take care of his siblings once his grandfather is gone. “The song touches my soul, because of how things turned out after he had passed on. His memory lives in his music, especially to the family and close friends,” he said.
Another person who was and still is a huge fan of Stoney Mubiana is his father, Sylvester Mubiana, who was happy that his late son was still remembered for his musical work
“I am very very very happy,” said Sylvester Mubiana.
Speaking to Entertainment Now! from Katima Mulilo, he said Stoney developed a passion for music with the influence from his friend and uncle, Nebra Mwakwambi.
Stoney was so dedicated to music to the point that he made guitars out of cooking oil containers, that is where it all started, according to his father. “I was worried at first as to how it will affect his academics but he balanced both well,” said Sylvester Mubiana.
The late Mubiana recorded songs with his group Makando Band, which he formed with his young brother, sister and friends. “I have my personal favourites which include ‘Journey to Katima’, ‘Banana (children)’ and ‘Mama wa Ka’,” said Sylvester Mubiana.
The lifetime achievers’ award is given to a legend individual that has made meaningful and worthy of recognition contribution to the upliftment of the Namibian music industry. Legends whose work is or was instrumental for the ignition and growth of local music.
Previous winners include Elemotho in 2017, the “godfather” of drums Siegfried ‘Ou Jomo’ Haoseb and Legendary guitarist Sebulon ‘Axue’ Gomachab, who were the honourees of the Lifetime Achievers at the 2018 NAMAs.