George Kalukusha is a Malawian British musician who lives in Cape Town. He tells us about his new single Take Me Home and what ‘home’ means to him.
Introduce yourself
My name is George Kalukusha: born in Malawi, raised in the city of roundabouts (Milton Keynes, England). It’s a place which is very similar to Malawi: tiny and most people are just passing through.
But it’s where I made an encounter with music. The rest was history for I stood no chance against Kismet.
What are your musical influences?
When I first started writing, I was listening to the likes of Jason Mraz, John Mayer and Ed Sheehan. Then after my songwriting skills had matured I found myself immersed in Ben Howard and Tracy Chapman.
Not only are they exceptional writers, they also have so much soul and character in their voices; this resonates strongly with me.
What’s it like to work in the music industry where you are?
Like everywhere else, The music industry in Cape Town is like treading deep waters; it is tiring after a while but you at least hope that when all’s done, you’ll have gained more endurance.
Patience, consistency and persistence are key here, which can be said about most places.
What’s a night out like where you live?
I like places with a view and Cape Town is not shy of that. Whether it’s sundowners at a balcony somewhere or a long night in Long Street, it doesn’t matter much; I always seem to be taken aback by the beauty, diversity and mystery of it all.
What song do you listen to: (a) turn up to (b) feel sexy (c) pine over your ex
Travis Scott – Goosebumps
Otis Redding – Try a little tenderness
City and Colour – What Makes a Man
Tell us about your latest single Take Me Home. What is it about?
Take Me Home came about after countless misguided efforts to find belonging; we often think our home is a place or a person/people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kW-5EZIXAOA
But I challenge that: home is an emotion, the way a certain criteria of things or people and places make you feel. In this way I have the power to be home wherever I am or whomever I’m with.