When the Copyright Society of Malawi pays out royalties, the expectation is that the money goes back to the artist. Emmie Deebo has a different plan. The Blantyre-born Afropop sensation — real name Emily Zintambila — has publicly committed every kwacha of her COSOMA royalty earnings to a scholarship initiative aimed at supporting students who cannot afford school fees. It is perhaps the most striking example yet of how copyright income can ripple beyond the artist and into the wider community.
A Career Built at Speed
Emmie Deebo began her professional career around 2022 with early singles “Beke” and “Musa,” followed by her Reflection EP — a project that introduced listeners to her blend of Afrobeat, R&B, and Afropop, and quickly earned her a following on Malawian radio. Her breakthrough came in 2024 with the Akometsi Entertainment hit “Kale,” which she shared with Pop Young, Qaso, and Diego Watumanye — a collaboration that placed her voice in front of a national audience and set the stage for her solo rise.
She followed that with a string of standout singles — “Hapa” featuring Platform from Tanzania, “Befu” with Kell Kay, “Chilipo,” “Changa,” and “Eyo” — before releasing her debut album First Born in 2025. The 12-track project featured collaborations with South Africa’s Gemini Major, Zeze Kingston, Sean Morgan, and Bee Jay, and earned her international attention including performances in Johannesburg and Cape Town alongside Saint Realest and Eli Njuchi.
Awards and International Recognition
The creative output has been matched by formal recognition. Emmie Deebo won Best Female Artist at the 2024 MBC Entertainers of the Year Awards, Best New Act at the African Arts and Entertainment Awards, and the Rising Star (Southern Africa) award at the Zanzibar International Youth Tourism Summit — where she represented Malawi. Her label, Akometsi Entertainment, was also recognised by COSOMA when the “Kale” single crossed the one million kwacha mark in royalties.
Royalties for a Purpose
Behind Emmie Deebo’s chart success is a personal story that shapes her philanthropy. Having faced financial hardships during her own schooling, she launched the Emmie Deebo Scholarship Fund in 2025 using proceeds from First Born. The announcement that she would direct her COSOMA royalties entirely into the fund was a public declaration of purpose — using the financial infrastructure of copyright law to serve the next generation of young Malawians.
She also serves as brand ambassador for FUNetix, a U.S.-based literacy programme developed by the American Literacy Foundation, and for Hirwa General Dealers — partnerships that reflect a deliberate alignment of her public platform with education and community upliftment.
What Her Story Means for Other Artists
Emmie Deebo’s career is a compelling argument for why every Malawian artist should register with COSOMA — not only for personal financial gain, but for the broader possibilities that royalty income unlocks. When creative work is protected and remunerated, artists gain the agency to direct those resources toward whatever purpose they choose.
To register your works and start earning from your creativity, visit cosoma.mw.
