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Pastor Charamba was responding to the question why of late a lot of Bulawayo musicians had failed to make it in the music industry.
In a side interview at the Amphitheatre last week, Pastor Charamba told Saturday Leisure that Bulawayo musicians should change their attitude towards their work.
“I have been closely following a lot of Bulawayo musicians who have since left the music industry and I discovered that their main obstacle in making it is their lack of confidence in their work,” he said.
Charamba said this syndrome was not only affecting Bulawayo musicians, as it was affecting musicians from big cities like Harare.
“It will be unfair to say this syndrome was only affecting Bulawayo musicians as Harare was also suffering from the same problem,” he said.
Charamba said Bulawayo had a lot of talented up-and-coming musicians who simply wanted to be given proper guidance.
“I started knowing about Bulawayo’s music scene way back in the 1990s when I was still at home in Mudzi and this was because of musicians who include Lovemore Majaivana and Solomon Skuza.
“These guys were confident with their works and they were travelling a lot promoting their music, because they believed in themselves,” he said.
Charamba said up-and-coming musicians should approach established musicians for guidance before they got into the music industry.
“For one to be successful in anything, it is advisable to consult those who know better about the industry you want to join.
“In Bulawayo there are people like Chase Skuza who worked with his late brother Solomon and I believe that guy has a lot of experience which he can share with up-and- coming musicians,” he said.
Charamba added that creativity was another factor that was lacking among Bulawayo musicians and this was likely to force people not to support them.
“Music should be something that comes from within and the style should be unique, such that a fan will walk into a record bar and buy your works.
“A lot of musicians that we have are not original and this in turn makes their music to be predictable and boring,” he said.
Charamba said when he started singing in the late 90s it was not easy as he had to work hard to convince his producers that gospel music was marketable.
“When I started singing there were well established gospel musicians like Baba Mechanic Manyeruke who had been in the industry for a long time.
“The competition was very tough, as I had to fight hard to make a name in that environment,” he said.
Charamba said his unique style of composing and singing made him famous and he also did a lot of live shows around the country.
“Fishers of Men started by having live shows around the country and it was not easy, but with time people started appreciating our works,” he said.
Charamba said the media later propped him into the limelight, but he had already done all the necessary work in building his name.
“When you are an up-and-coming musician media should be the last thing you should look forward to be following you. Instead have live shows in different places and as long as your work is original and unique you will be on the right path,” he said.
Online Reporter