Kameza to drop socially driven EP next month

Blantyre-based spoken word artist Vanessa Kameza is set to release a new EP next month aimed at repositioning poetry from a performance art to a tool for social engagement and reflection. Kameza said the project was driven by frustration with how poetry is often confined to stages and fleeting appreciation, with little effort to extend its relevance beyond performance spaces. “I reached a point where I wanted my work to move beyond expression and into influence,” she said.

“Not just to be heard, but to exist in a way that engages with real issues and conversations in Malawi.” The forthcoming EP, centred on themes of honesty, explores identity, relationships and emotional realities while challenging societal norms and silences that shape people’s lives. Kameza said the project is designed to carry meaning beyond the moment, encouraging audiences to revisit the work and use it as a reference point for thought and dialogue. “In practice, it means not treating poetry as something that ends on stage.

It should move into spaces like education and social discourse, where it can inform how people think and process their experiences,” she said. She chose spoken word for its immediacy and accessibility, noting that the medium allows audiences to connect directly with language, voice and emotion. “If poetry is to move beyond performance, it needs to reach people in a way that feels present and engaging,” she said.

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Through the EP, Kameza tackles issues such as emotional vulnerability, mental strain and the normalisation of silence around personal and social realities. She said her goal is to spark both internal reflection and external engagement. “I want poetry to contribute to meaningful conversations, whether in how people understand themselves, relate to others or approach certain issues,” she said.

Kameza added that poetry has the power to bridge emotion and understanding, helping people articulate experiences they may struggle to process. Ultimately, she hopes listeners will walk away with more than just a feeling. “I want the work to make people pause, reflect and engage. Not something they listen to and move past, but something that continues to hold relevance and encourages conversation,” she said.

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