Maria Chiguvari
A catchy chorus, a few TikTok videos and a dance challenge that suddenly takes over social media can transform a song into an overnight sensation.
Over the years, this seems to be a trend Enzo Ishall favours the most.
From “Kanjiva” to “Magate”, “Mhamha”, “Matsimba”, “Chibatamabvi” and “Tiza”, the Mabvuku-born chanter consistently churns out music that refuses to stay confined to the studio. His tracks naturally migrate from the streets to parties, radio, YouTube and TikTok, where viral dance challenges give them a second life.
The singer insists there is no secret formula to making hits.
Instead, he watches the mood on the music scene, listens to what audiences are responding to and builds his songs around stories that people can relate to.
“I just check what is influencing or impressing the current Zimbabwean music scene and audiences at that particular phase in time. Then I compose lyrics that tell a relatable story that resonates with listeners.”
Born Stephen Kudzanai Mamhere, the chanter said this approach has produced impressive results. His latest track “Zambuko” demonstrates a shift from his usual party anthems towards a personal narrative about faith and family.
“‘Zambuko’ was inspired by how God has transformed my life and my family,” he revealed.
The musician also uses the song to offer fans a message of encouragement.
“Everyone who will listen to this song, God will provide a solution to every situation you are going through and you will celebrate,” he said.
Whether “Zambuko” will match the commercial reach of his earlier party tracks remains to be seen, but the strategy of establishing an emotional connection with fans remains.
His digital footprint confirms a history of widespread appeal.
“Magate” has accumulated roughly 3,9 million views on YouTube, “Mhamha” has surpassed three million, “Matsimba” stands at 2,4 million and his 2023 Jipiano experiment “Tiza” has reached 1,7 million views.
Meanwhile, “Chibatamabvi”, featuring Oskid, has crossed the one-million-view mark.
This momentum often traces back to “Kanjiva”, his 2018 breakout hit that sparked a national dance craze. Enzo explains that he does not actively design songs for social media algorithms; rather, he releases engaging music and lets the audience drive its momentum.
His willingness to experiment prevents his discography from becoming predictable.
While rooted in Zimdancehall, Enzo categorises his style as Afro-pop, allowing him to blend traditional African rhythms with modern genres like Jiti.
“Jiti is one of the sounds we have here in Zimbabwe which was not used much in this modern era and an area that can be exploited in a bid to make something authentic of our own. Bringing it back right now is great timing. With Jiti, I always expect catchy melodies that will get stuck in the head for days,” explained Enzo.
“The production should be a fresh modern sound with a unique blend of genres, mixing elements of Jiti, dancehall and the popular amapiano music. The lyrics tell a relatable story that resonates with listeners.”
Singles over albums
Critics often query why Enzo has not released a full-length studio album.
That question has followed him for some time, with some suggesting that producing several hit singles may be easier than maintaining the same quality across an entire album. However, Enzo believes singles make more sense in Zimbabwe’s music market. He points to the financial demands of producing albums and what he sees as a limited appetite among local listeners to consume a large body of music at once.
“I am one of the best hitmakers of this generation. Any work I have done prior solidifies this position. I do not owe people any hit song anymore. On average, I release five or six viral singles annually, so compiling and releasing a traditional full-length studio album will never be a struggle,” he said.
“Not having an album is just a preference. I feel that at the moment an album is not beneficial due to a number of factors, mainly financial considerations and market alignment.
“Our music industry in Zim is not well equipped to handle most of these albums and our listeners generally are not ready to consume albums at once. So, personally, I believe that focusing on releasing singles might be a better strategy than compiling a large body of work prematurely.”
His focus on singles has delivered commercial stability through live performances, endorsements and strategic local collaborations such as his work with Madedido on “Attack MaJapanese” and Jnr Spragga on “Disaster”.
When it comes to international features, Enzo maintains a deliberate, ground-up strategy rather than chasing immediate overseas crossovers.
“Our music industry in Zimbabwe is not well equipped to handle these collaborations. Also, we are a small country, so for your music to get accepted internationally, you need a critical mass following, and that starts at home.”
Ultimately, his main focus remains establishing a distinctive, long-lasting signature sound.
“The idea is to create a style or sound that defines me and stick to it till it breaks into international markets.”
