First Our Artists Grant Awarded to Mzati
2026-09-05
This week marked another milestone for Shake It So. We gave our first grant through the Our Artists program, to Mzati, musician, producer, and storyteller based in Malawi.
As a new nonprofit, it might have made sense to receive a few grants before we started giving them out. But we have a generous community, and we've already benefited from the work of talented artists like Mzati. In that sense, it's well past time to give back.
Mzati is a deserving recipient. Many of you will have danced to his song, Zakwathu, more than once. In his words:
“Zakwathu” is a nostalgic celebration of home, culture, and everyday life. Through melody, movement, and visuals shot across Malawi, the song captures the warmth, rhythm, and spirit of where we come from — the sounds of home.
Built around the repetitive phrase “Izi ndinyimbo, izi ndinyimbo zakwathu,” the song echoes the meaning: "These are the songs from home" or “These are our traditional songs.” Together with the line “Ndimomwe zimvekera,” “This is how it sounds,” the music becomes a joyful expression of how people sing, celebrate, and connect through culture and shared identity.
It's a beautiful song, and a heartwarming, joyful video as well. If you want to hear more of his work, I'd also point you to traditional-infused Teni pa Teni, groove-chill anthem Munthu, and the uplifting It Is Well.
Mzati plans to put the grant toward a new camera for Mzati Diaries, his podcast documenting conversations with creatives across Africa and beyond. It's part of a larger vision he calls "From Malawi to the World." In his words:
I want to show that world class art can come from Malawi without losing our identity. Our stories, languages, and our culture... When our music travels, so do our stories, shaping how the world sees Malawi.
This past year we also signed a licensing agreement with COSOMA, the Copyright Society of Malawi. Artists receive some compensation through that partnership, but the Our Artists program lets us do more. It's all part of our mission to build partnerships that help people while celebrating our shared humanity.