Ritaa
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 |
Rita Kalonga (born 16 August 1996), known professionally by her stage name Ritaa, is a Malawian musician, singer, songwriter and Entrepreneur
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.