At the height of the CHIMURENGA war, the struggle for independence in Zimbabwe, a Malawian missionary family arriving at Harare airport was stranded inside the terminal while chaos took over the city streets.

Oblivious to the muted panic in the airport lounge, two year old Peter Mawanga broke the tension as he sang ‘Amazing Grace’, perfectly in tune, to an amazed audience. His uncle pronounced there and then that the boy was destined to be a great musician. After Peter’s astounding first concert, his love affair with music saw him do anything he could to learn and experience music; through school clubs, the church choir and friends he learned to play keyboards and guitar.

In Malawi in 2002 while studying mechanical engineering he recorded a playful album that set him on the path to his musical destiny. Recorded under the name Peter Pine CITY LIFE, was a sensation across Malawi. The afro-pop album’s controversial hit single ‘AMAKHALA KU BLANTYRE’ discussed the realities of urban versus rural living. The song was so controversial it inspired several ‘response’ songs, which opposed Peter’s shattering of the ‘city streets are paved with gold’ myth. Buoyed by the overnight success of his first album and lack of funds for his college tuition, Peter abandoned his studies for a professional music career.

Shedding the persona of Peter Pine he reverted to his own name Peter Mawanga and began creating definitive music; globally recognized yet intrinsically Malawian. In 2005 he recorded ZANGA ZO ZAMA, produced by reknown poet and music producer Q Malewezi . The critically acclaimed album presented Mawanga truer sound; Afro vibes – a fusion of traditional African rhythms, composition, vocal arrangements with modern instrumentation; inspirational, introspective, spiritual and socially conscious. ZANGA ZO ZAMA’s songs such as ‘TSOKA’, ‘LONDA’, ‘MWANA WAMASIYE’ and ‘BWERERA’ are poignant songs with strong messages marking Peter’s journey from pop star to celebrated musician and voice of the underprivileged.

Concerned by the plight of underprivileged children in Malawi, Peter established the non-profit organisation Talents of the Malawian Child, in 2004.

With the support from Unicef and Plan international, Peter trained and mentored orphaned and vulnerable children by organizing music workshops. As a result of these projects Peter produced albums for these children; ANA A SASO (2005) and VING’OMA NA VISEKESE (2006) and SOUNDS OF LILONGWE (2008). His song ‘TIMVENI’ was the official song for Plan Malawi’s Timveni children’s radio project. Inspired to continue creating great music with young people Peter formed his own band. In 2007 Peter’s third incarnation was born; Peter Mawanga and The Amaravi Movement. Incorporating Malawian instrumentation, nylon jazz guitar, mangolongondo (marimba), sansi (thumb piano) rhythms and singing in Chichewa (Malawian national language), Peter is able to communicate both musically and lyrically to the world on behalf of his country. The original Amaravi Movement consisted of Mawanga (main vocals, nylong string guitar), Alfred Nkhoma (bass), Dryson Mwimba (drums), Mayamiko Chimkoka (guitar), Mavuto Milion (marimba).

Peter Mawanga has garnered respect in the music industry at large. The synergy of Peter Mawanga and The Amaravi Movement impressed Rhythm of Life to sign Peter as the first artist on their independent record label in Malawi in 2008, together they recorded and released Peter Mawanga & The Amaravi Movement’ live debut studio album PAPHIRI NDI PADAMBO. The song ‘KALE KALE’ was featured on the soundtrack of the movie Africa United (2010).

In 2009 Mawanga teamed up with Andrew Finn Magill to write and record a concept album titled MAU A MALAWI – STORIES OF AIDS (more info on Andrew Finn Magill’s webpage). The album was released in 2011 at the University of North Carolina. The album tells the true stories from ten different people who were either infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. The launch was followed by a US tour which included a performance at the Leaf Festival in Asheville, North Carolina. Also, Mawanga and Magill were invited to do a special performance at the U.S. Department of State, making Peter Mawanga the first African musician to ever play there.

In 2010 Mayamiko Chimkoka left the Amaravi Movement. However, during the recording of MAU A MALAWI – STORIES OF AIDS, Faith Mussa and Joyce Kaliwo – both musicians featured on the album – joined the Amaravi Movement. Mussa on guitar and backing vocals, and Kaliwo on percussion and backing vocals.

The album MAU A MALAWI – STORIES OF AIDS was re-released in Malawi in 2012, with a Malawi tour, followed by numerous corporate gigs with the Amaravi Movement, continuing into 2013. This included the 2013 Joy of Jazz festival where Peter Mawanga and the Amaravi Movement headlined the festival together with amongst others American Grammy winner Earl Klugh. While preparing for Joy of Jazz, Marlyn Chakwera joined the Amaravi Movement, as Joyce Kaliwo had left for university. Peter Mawanga and the Amaravi Movement rounded up the year by performing at the 2013 special version of the annual Malawian festival Lake of Stars: City of Stars.

In January 2014, Peter Mawanga and the Amaravi Movement represented Malawi at the Celtic Connection Music Festival in Glasgow, UK. He performed during the opening gala, sending a nod to the upcoming Glasgow Commonwealth Games the same year. The rest of the year, Mawanga and his band played several corporate performances, before they performed at the 2014 edition of the Malawian festival Lake of Stars.

During the following year, 2015, drummer Dryson Mwimba and marimba player Mavuto Milion left the band, and they were both replaced by Omex Chimpeni from guitarist Faith Mussa’s band. The Amaravi Movement now consisted of Faith Mussa, Marlyn Chakwera, Alfred Nkhoma and Omex Chimpeni, in addition to Mawanga. The band focused on US touring, playing around 10 gigs in total, spread on two tours – one in 2015 and one in 2016.

In 2015, Mawanga was contacted by Sigbjørn Nedland from the Norwegian Broadcasting Channel (NRK) to form a group to do the musical part of a project which sought to revive old and forgotten recordings from the Malawi Broadcasting Channel (MBC). The group comprises Peter Mawanga (vocals, guitar, percussion), Faith Mussa (vocals, guitar, percussion), Marlyn Chakwera (vocals, percussion), Samuel Mkandawire (vocals, bass, guitar, percussion) and Georg Buljo (guitars, percussion). Takula was formed to re-imagine and re-interpret old and forgotten recordings from the archives of MBC. The album, also titled TAKULA was recorded at MBC in 2016, and released in September 2018. However, the band already played a concert at the Norwegian Arctic Arts Festival in June 2015. For more information about Takula, visit Takula’s web page: https://www.musicglue.com/takula/about

In 2017, Mawanga did another US tour – this time with a smaller version of the Amaravi Movement. Chakwera was pregnant and Mussa had just been signed by the Beating Heart Project, and was away on a UK tour. Now the Amaravi Movement consisted of Alfred Nkhoma and Omex Chimpeni. In May alone, Peter Mawanga and the Amaravi Movement staged 11 performances in South Dakota, North Carolina, Montana, Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio and West Virginia.

In 2018, Mawanga did a US tour titled Afro-Fiddle Fusion together with American violinist Andrew Magill. After this tour and the release of Takula’s album TAKULA, Mawanga released his first solo studio album in 14 years: NYANJA VIBES. This album was inspired by a research trip he made from 2014 to 2016 along the coast of Lake Malawi, recording and rediscovering the music and dances practiced by the people of the lake shore (the “nyanja sounds” of Malawi).

In 2019, Mawanga decided to take a break from touring, and focus on getting some administrative matters in order. He has worked in his studio recording other artists, recruited new band members and found a new manager. Despite the break, Mawanga and the Amaravi Movement did their first shows in Malawi since 2015 at the Nkhotakota Music Festival in April, and Lilongwe Jazz Festival in August.

In 2021 he’s working on projects together with American World Fusion artist Trevor Bystrom.