Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
SUNGURA musician Mark Ngwazi says he still hopes to collaborate with his brother Tindo on a project but time constraints have been crippling their plans.
The Njanja Express frontman and his brother have had a fractured relationship but they have been making progress in mending their differences.
“We wanted to release a joint album but it seems we’re running out of time,” said Mark. “He’s busy with his own album and I’m also focused on mine.
“We can’t rush into the studio while we’re still working on our individual projects.” He added: “A lot happens in families, but we always find our way back to each other.” Mark said he is taking more time to come up with his eighth album after he rushed to complete his last offering ‘Huzukwende.’
The 36-year-old says he is doing it at his pace. “I’m always recording in the studio but I won’t announce the release date until I’m certain the production is finished,” said Ngwazi.
“Last year, I felt a lot of pressure because I realised that I hadn’t made much progress when fans expected me to release new music. It was an unhealthy situation because I didn’t want to disappoint myself or my fans.
“I was stressing to meet the deadline, and even now, I laugh at myself when I think about the self-inflicted pressure I endured.” Mark says he wants to give his fans better music.
“I’ve gotten to a point where I’d rather take time working on something that fans will cherish for years, rather than giving them half-baked material.
“I came to this realisation last year, and some of the songs are now penetrating the market. It was a mistake that should never be repeated, but we all learn from our shortcomings in this business.
“Something is coming, but we’re working at our own pace. We don’t want to put ourselves under pressure.”
He added: “I have two shows lined up in South Africa before the end of the year.
“I command a huge following in Limpopo province, as there are many Zimbabweans living there.”
While Limpopo province has embraced him, Gauteng has been a tougher market. Mark suffered one of his biggest flops there in October last year.
Less than 100 people attended his show at the Newtown Music Factory in Johannesburg during the promotion of his album Huzukwende.
“I have fans everywhere but some areas, indeed, show more support than others. In my case, Limpopo has always been good to me,” he said.
Bongani Ndlovu