By 
Zambian singer, Wezi Mhone, has come to the defence of fellow musician, Chile One MrZambia, calling on the public to stop mocking his pronunciation of the word “goosebumps” in his song Destiny and instead appreciate his artistry.
In a post shared on her official Facebook page, Wezi said what began as light-hearted banter had turned into unfair treatment of the award-winning singer, arguing that the focus should be on the quality of the music rather than the way a single English word was pronounced.
She said both Destiny and the album were beautifully written and performed, adding that she did not understand why many listeners were more interested in ridiculing Chile One’s pronunciation than appreciating the song itself.
Wezi observed that many people had been conditioned to view mispronunciation of English as a sign of failure because the language was taught and examined as an academic subject.
Read more: Chile One drops new album, blends Afro pop, emotional storytelling
However, she argued that no one should be humiliated for “Africanising” words in a language imposed during colonial rule.
She also questioned what she described as double standards, noting that audiences readily embrace West African Pidgin and international artistes who speak imperfect English, while expecting a Zambian musician from Chililabombwe to pronounce every English word flawlessly.
“We understood him,” Wezi said, insisting that whether the word came out as “Nguzi bums”, “Guzi bumps” or “Goosebumps”, listeners still understood the intended meaning.
The singer further appealed for compassion, saying Chile One was simply defending the way the word naturally rolled off his tongue and may have genuinely felt misunderstood.
Wezi argued that the real embarrassment was not imperfect English but the belief that Africans must master the former coloniser’s language to gain acceptance from their own people.
She encouraged people to speak English well if they could but not to shame those who pronounced it differently, stressing that having an African accent should never be a source of ridicule.
Ending her message, Wezi urged the public to support local musicians instead of tearing them down, describing Chile One as “amazing” and encouraging Zambians to uplift hardworking and talented artistes.
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