Rita Kalonga (born 16 August 1996), known professionally by her stage name Ritaa, is a Malawian musician, singer, songwriter and Entrepreneur
Ritaa | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Rita Mwantalli |
| Also known as | Ritaa |
| Born | 16 August 1996 Blantyre, Malawi |
| Origin | Blantyre |
| Genres | Afro pop, R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, Entrepreneur, CEO @ Serene General Dealers, mother company of House of Beauty by Serene & Permanent Makeup by Serene, among others |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals , guitar |
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Labels | Independent |
| Website | officialritaa |
Life and career edit
Based in Malawi's commercial city, Blantyre, Ritaa's breakthrough came in 2016 after releasing "Chapatali". The song features one of Malawi's pop stars, Dan Lu. The song peaked at number 1 on local charts,.[1][2][3] Ritaa has worked with producers like BFB who used to produce for HHP and Blasto and has shared a stage with Tay Grin and co-headlined Carlsberg Malawi urban music bash. Ritaa draws her inspiration from the likes of Rihanna, Beyonce and the late Whitney Houston. She fuses Afro-pop, R&B, dancehall, and pop.
Legacy edit
Chapatali is the first song by a female artist to chart on number 1 in Malawi Music top 100 and Weekly Malawi Music Top 20 chart by malawi-music.com. It remains the only song by a Malawian female artist to register over a hundred thousand downloads and half a million online streams on Malawi Music official website. In 2016, she also made history when she became the first Malawian female musician to have three songs at number 1 in the top 100 Malawi Music chart.[4][5]
Feminism and women's rights edit
Ritaa has been described as a feminist in the Malawi music industry. She has openly challenged patriarchy and championed for the rights of women in the country including freedom of dressing for women and girls in a country that is predominantly patriarchy.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Ritaa overthrows Gwamba". Malawi24.
- ^ "Rise of Ritaa with Chapatali song featuring Dan Lu". Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ "Winners and losers in 2017 Nyasa Music Awards". Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ "Malawi Songstress Ritaa Madly Love, Releases Winner/". Nyasa Times. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ "Malawi musician Ritaa dares Rihanna: Releases 'Down Down'". Retrieved 23 April 2020.