Update: The Lake of Stars Malawi Arts Festival has officially announced its 2026 dates, confirming the event will run from October 2 to October 4 in Nkhotakota, according to Triple M Entertainment. Operating under the theme "Festivals with Purpose," organizers from Dusty Orange Projects Et Al stated the event aims to promote community development, local business, and tourism. The upcoming programme will feature a variety of music genres and continue local initiatives, including the Khalani O Masuka community homestays, the Day of Ideas Youth Festival, and the Mbalame Village Soccer Tournament.
In talent development news, Music Crossroads Malawi has launched a new training project named Rural Voices Amplified targeting artists from rural areas, Nation Online reports. Selected participants will travel to Lilongwe for a seven-day residency at the Music Crossroads Academy. The musicians will record in professional studios and receive mentorship on critical industry topics such as copyright laws, royalties, branding, and digital distribution to help them monetise their work.
Meanwhile, the Malawian digital music scene recorded a series of new releases this week. According to music platform Zedwap, hip-hop artist Macelba released a new track titled "Sinila" featuring Teddy Makadi. Waxy Kay also introduced two new songs, "Ashawo" and "Ndidalitseni," which are part of his latest album project, Art of Love. Other new digital releases include "Winner" by Chizmo Sting and "Chipongwe" by Chain Oh Abebu featuring Jetu.