‘Female singers should turn tables’

Arts Reporter
Rising songstress Tamy’s manager, Pedzisai Chimbwanda, says female musicians should organise events where they can network and prove that they have capacity to challenge their male counterparts on stage.

Chimbwanda said they organised a show featuring Tamy (born Thamsanqa Moyo), Ammara Brown and Gemma Griffiths to give the divas a platform to prove they can go it alone. The show will be held at The Venue in Avondale, Harare on Thursday.

He said female musicians were failing to make a serious mark on the local scene because of the belief that male singers should occupy top positions on charts.

He gave an example of other countries like the United States where musicians like Beyonce, Mariah Carey and Britney Spears have had chart-topping songs in past years.

He also noted African examples like Angelique Kidjo, Miriam Makeba and Yemi Alade as some of the musicians whose names are on the list of top musicians in the continent across generations.

Chimbwanda noted that the local crop of musicians like Chiwoniso Maraire and Mbuya Stella Chiweshe should inspire young female singers to fight for recognition.

“Locally, we have few female musicians that were able to stand their ground in competing for top posts on music charts,” said Chimbwanda.

“In other countries there are long lists of female musicians that are regarded as the best singers in their industries. We want to inspire the new breed of local songstresses to challenge male dominance in the industry.

“They should have confidence to go up the ladder of music success. As Tamy’s manager, I have challenged her to write a colourful history on her own. We have roped in Ammara and Gemma to support her at Thursday’s show and we want these divas to prove a point.”

He said female musicians have been made to believe that they can only attract huge followings when they sing gospel music.

“We have seen some female musicians rising in the gospel music sector. The secular music terrain has not favoured women, but we want to change that trend. These young divas can do it and they just need our support.”