Online Reporter
Latwell Nyangu
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
FORMER Four Brothers vocalist, Austin “Neutral Diplomat” Marongedza, has shifted his focus to reggae after going through a rough patch in the music industry.
The 54-year-old from Murehwa was part of several bands in the country before he relocated to South Africa.
He has assembled a band called ‘Diplomatic Immunity.’
It is made up of seven members, including former Jah Prayzah vocalist Pamela Zulu, popularly known as Gonyeti. “I started doing music in 1991 after completing my O-Levels.
“I was with Zhekezheke Express as a backing vocalist in 1998 before I joined Four Brothers in 2000 as a lead vocalist when Marshall Munhumumwe was sick.“I was with Four Brothers for two years and I had to quit music for some years until 2010 when I teamed up with session musicians to record my album ‘Zvinoda Kushinga’.
“My sungura album called ‘Zvinoda Kushinga’ didn’t do well due to a lack of marketing.
“It wasn’t very difficult for me to shift from sungura to reggae because I was a reggae fraternity.”
He added:
“This year, I decided to come up with my new five-track reggae album called ‘I Need Your Attention.’
“The songs include ‘I am a Foreigner’, ‘Heroes Are Born’, ‘Lyrical Riches’, ‘Jah Is Me Shepherd’, and ‘I Need Your Presence.’ “Mostly, my music is about how people live, their problems – social and political.
“On this album, there is a song called ‘I Am A Foreigner’, which speaks about how we blacks are regarded as foreigners in another African state, yet whites are citizens in Africa.
“I have a band composed of seven people, including Pamela Zulu, better known as Gonyeti, who was Jah Prayzah’s female backing vocalist.”
