Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
UNITED Kingdom-based Afro-fusion artist, Shepherd Mpeswe, who is known by his moniker ‘‘Chirenje Mzukuru WeTongwe’’, has announced his arrival on the music scene with the release of his debut album titled ‘‘Echoes From Tongwe Mountain.’’
In an interview with Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub, Mpeswe said his debut album summed up his musical journey.
“My debut album, ‘Echoes From Tongwe Mountain,’ is a culmination of a project that started way back in 2012 after being an eyewitness to a story that I believed needed to be told to the world.
“So, I first wrote down this story as a book and then did a lot of revisions after I left my formal job in 2015.
“Around 2017, I decided to turn the unpublished book into a film script and I then enrolled at the Zimbabwe Film and Television School of Southern Africa just so I could master the basics of script writing, producing, and cinematography.
“In 2023, when I moved to the UK, I decided to produce music based on the themes and major scenes in the film script as a way of maintaining interest and enticing producers in order to eventually have my film script on the big screen,” he said.
Reflecting on his life as a musician based in the diaspora, Mpeswe revealed he was enjoying every moment.
“I have been working on my music behind the scenes with the assistance of one studio here in the UK and another studio in Zimbabwe.
“I have also been working on my videos, having shots taken by different videographers – one in Zimbabwe and the other here in the UK. I am happy that my 13-track album is now ready to be shared with the world.”
With authenticity and originality key in music, the dreadlocked musician urged fellow creatives to be original.
“The central themes of my music are based on climate change and the environment, plus African traditional culture and identity.
“My music is inspired by Tateguru Tongwe, a mhondoro spirit that possessed an innocent young man back in 2012.
“This became the genesis and foundation of my film script, music album, and other future endeavours, all aimed at celebrating our Africanacity.”
Besides announcing his arrival on the musical scene in his late 40s, Mpeswe’s vision will inspire future generations.
“I want to be a net exporter of Zimbabwean culture and identity and I believe Zimbabweans and Africans in general should take pride in the religion of their forefathers.
“That alone exhibits our uniqueness on the international stage,” he said.
Largely inspired by Thomas Mapfumo, Andy Brown, Fela Kuti, and Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi, Mpeswe also revealed how his calling came about.
“Tateguru Tongwe is a mhondoro spirit from my mother’s side. It is the guardian spirit of the Shangwe and Kore Kore people of Zimbabwe, and it wants its story told to the world.
“It is this story of Tateguru Tongwe that has been my calling as a musician, writer, and possibly podcaster in the future,” he said.
As a multi-tasking musician, Mpeswe has devised his means of balancing his schedule.
“The approach is to spread the time and do one task at a time in order to maintain a good balance between work and my music.
“Besides, I have an excellent team that I collaborate with on various aspects of my music.”
Who is Mpeswe?
“I was born Shepherd Mpeswe in Banket.
“I was born as the only son from my mother’s womb of six children, although my father had a second wife with my five half-brothers and sisters as well.
“I attended primary school at St. George’s in Banket first then moved to Martindale Boarding Primary in Selous before attending Chinhoyi High School from 1986 to 1991.
“I then worked in Mashonaland West and Harare and moved to the Midlands for a permanent job from 1995 up to 2015. From 2015 to 2022, I was full-time at my farm in Gweru, and in 2023, I moved to the United Kingdom,” he said.
Mathew Masinge