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Leisure Reporter —
ONCE in a while the arts industry brews a shocker from nowhere comes an irresistible talent, a force to reckon with, which causes everyone to take notice.
Such is the case with new kid on the block, musician Elder Lahyi — who has taken his first bold steps into the music industry with the release of a new album, “Tsamba Mbozha”.
The six-track Afro-fusion album was produced by Munyaradzi Viya at Vialy Studios. Though it is not his debut production, having been in the music industry for some time, this album has been a lifetime in the making and he believes it is now time for him to shine.
“This is my breakthrough album, it marks my road to success. I was raised with rhythm in my blood,” declared Elder Lahyi.
He added: “I have been working on this album for a long time and I am happy that people are now getting to know about my passion. I wish to deliver something good to the people and I felt I should do it through this message (Tsamba Mbozha).”
His music is dominated by trombone and he believes that will help him bring something different on the market. The album opens with the track “Shiri Yemusango”, a touching song that talks of a child who lost parents at a tender age and became homeless.
Elder Lahyi’s lyrics are a prayer to the Almighty to take care of the minor. Despite the touching lines, the song is among the danceable tracks on this album expected to take the musician up the ladder.
The second song is the title track “Tsamba Mbozha”, a love song about a message Elder Lahyi sent to his sweetheart over the phone. The talented lyricist does not hide his bias towards love themes, coming up with another love track “Paida”, a song likely to be embraced by love-birds.
The message is about a girl who has gone overseas for work and her boyfriend tells her to remember that she left him behind. This is likely to be the most popular track on the album and Elder Lahyi does not dispute that; “Most likely. If you have listened well the song cuts across age groups and talks to all kinds of relationships including married couples.
“I am confident that the whole album will do well if well marketed and distributed but this (Paida) is a song to single out.”
Elder Lahyi showed his versatility on track four “Shamwari Yangu”, where he fused jiti with sungura.
Other tracks that complete this well-packaged album are “Vhara Muromo” and “Ndiwe Chete”. Born Lynott Mutore in Sadza, Chivhu, Elder Lahyi grew up in Hurungwe after his parents relocated in search of fertile soils.
His passion for the arts started at a tender age. He used to participate in every art related activity at primary and secondary school, like music, drama and traditional dance. He believes his rural background will help him come up with interesting stories that will keep people entertained.
“I was born in Chivhu but my parents moved to Hurungwe when I was still a young boy. I experienced both rural and urban life and I think that will help me in coming up with something interesting,” he says.
Being the first born in a family of five, he prefers to call himself Elder Lahyi and besides, he believes his music will override thus making him a true elder in the music industry.
“I am the first born so you know with this street lingo my young brothers and younger sister just call me Elder. And I also believe in my works, I am very confident that it will leave a mark. Usually elders are associated with success.”
Elder Lahyi is not new to music having tried his luck in sungura after recording an album with Metro Studios but failed to make a breakthrough. Before he ventured into music, he used to do dramas, which were being broadcast on the then Radio 2 now Radio Zimbabwe.
“I cannot separate myself from art, before music I used to do dramas at Radio 2 now Radio Zimbabwe. I then joined some unknown musical groups and I also worked with musicians like King Pharaoh and Admire Kasenga,” he says.
The desire to be his own man saw him assembling his own outfit, Acoustics of Zunguza, and went on to record a sungura album in 2006. He has now re-branded and named his group Vuvuzela, but this does not mean that he has abandoned sungura.
Online Reporter