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Blessings Chidakwa-Arts Reporter
A rising local Afro-acoustics band “Gwevedzi” is making inroads on the international stage after it collaborated with Brazilian and Czech artistes on their upcoming project titled “One”.
The Dzivaresekwa-based group composed of guitarist and backing vocalist Tinashe Masangudza, Wilfred Nikisi (Bass) and Nyasha Murada (lead vocals and mbira) is attracting global attention with barely two albums to its name.
Our news crew caught up with Masangudza who shared the journey of the group which first recorded its professional album in 2018 and has a hit song trending on YouTube titled “Zvichida”.
He said as the face of Gwevedzi, they were three and had varied sets of performances, including an acoustic section where they will be playing the mbira and guitar as a three-piece band.
Masangudza said their full band will have at least four people and there were chances of their music fusing with brass instruments.
Brass instruments in the orchestra traditionally fall into the four categories of horns, trumpets, trombones and tubas.
“So far, we have two albums and some singles,” said Masangudza. “The first album titled ‘Tsambo’ was released in 2018. In 2020 we released another one ‘Nhungo’ which means trusses the ones used to connect the house and the roof.
“Our upcoming album set for release anytime this year is called ‘ONE’.
“On this album we have done two collaborations with international artistes, including a Brazilian lady and one from the Czech Republic. We are simply getting international recognition.”
Masangudza said they were still discussing the strategy on how and when the album should be released.
“The concept is that we are bringing in different genres into Zimbabwean music,” he said.
“You can feel hip hop, samba, but without necessarily pinpointing that it is samba. At the same time, you are enjoying a rich Zimbabwean sound.
“Sounds which some last heard two decades ago from the likes of Leonard Dembo, Bhundu Boys and Four Brothers who were dreaming their own art, experimenting with sound. That is what we are trying to do.”
Masangudza said last year had been their turning point after having started receiving bookings across the borders.
“We are at a level where we are moving, but still feeling there is a long way to go. In 2022 we managed to play in South Africa, Pretoria and Johannesburg. It was an honour for us.
“Locally, we featured at Jacaranda Music Festival and also managed to play at the Zimbabwe International Film Festival. We performed in the city of Victoria Falls. We also are on the verge of launching an entertainment company.”
Masangudza shared about their previous projects starting with the first album “Tsambo” which he says the name was derived from a bracelet with a vow saying “I will marry you”.
“It focused on courtship until marriage whereby we were talking about situations which people encounter while dating,” he said.
“There are songs like ‘Pawasarura’ which talks about a guy who has found his love but people are discouraging him.
“Our next album ‘Nhungo’ the trusses used to connect the house and the roof is talking about a married young man but facing some hurdles in the early days of marriage. It is about migration from one phase of life to the other.”
Masangudza said the group was formed in 2016 starting off as just an acoustic band as evidenced in the first project which had no bass.
“We took it upon ourselves to teach each other some instruments although I had a little background from the Midlands State University on how to arrange music,” he said.
“Within a short space of time we are transforming and now we can see things from different perspectives. We tolerate some things which some people may fail to since we are now thinking from an open-minded perspective.”
Masangudza said their musical journey so far had been fair.
“Everything we need to achieve in life there is a process and steps that needs to be followed,” he said.
“We cannot just take shortcuts. The journey is normal since there should be ups and downs for it to be balanced.
“It has given us a certain experience even how to deal with people and how to make music because we are actually learning to play each and every day there is no day we say we have arrived.”
On challenges, Masangudza said they were turning them into opportunities.
“For us we are turning our challenges or negatives into positives. If we lack a drum to use, we would rather record using empty tins. There are songs we recorded using borrowed traditional drums,” he said.
Masangudza shared the meaning behind the group name “Gwevedzi”.
“Gwevedzi means a suitor or messenger of love, in our Shona tradition it is that person who is sent with a love word for the courtship process,” he said.
“His role is almost the same as ‘Munyai’ but he is the first one to initiate the love process.
“The name came into being after some thoughts about what we wanted to present to the world, our story, hence the name Gwevedzi popped up. We needed a word with less than three syllables and easy to recognise.”
Online Reporter