Hope Masike shares tour experience

well travelled musician is exposed to a wide range of musical expressions and appreciates the uniqueness of their own and everyone.
Through world tours a musician learns new ideas that goes a long way in transforming their act.

Travelling breaks artistes’ limitations and puts them in a good position to do well.
Many artistes tour the world via the Internet everyday and get to see what’s happening on the world stage. Such tours also gives artistes the opportunity to perform in other countries as well as changing the perception of the art of music.

Up-and-coming mbira singer Hope Masike had a successful tour of Europe and below are some of her experiences:
RK: Can you please give us a brief overview of the places you performed at during your tour?
HM: In Norway I did Stop by Verden Festival.

In France, I was in Junas where I performed with the formidable band Coriandre, then Les Afro Latines Festival in Eymet where I collaborated with French band Collectif Diyananko for a one-off show then with The Bangoura Family.
I did other solo concerts in Saint Rabier and collaborations with a water percussionist called Geraldine Zongo and a story teller called Bhinda Ngazolo.

The icing on the cake was collaborative concerts with painter David Chinyama. We called the series of concerts Painted Vibes and they were very well-received as he always sold the piece immediately after every concert!
RK: How do you think Zimbabwean artistes can benefit from going on international tours?

HM: Life elsewhere is not what it seems at home.
Having to save time by banking online, ordering online and having no electricity cuts gives you plenty of time to concentrate on other things.
Musicians overseas have everything, as their governments have funds for artistes with good ideas, they have equipment to do incredible things with (I have a full JBL sound system in a rehearsal room at the school I teach). There are also many festivals all over their countries, unlike back home where we only have a handful.
Unfortunately, most artistes here do not realise the resources they have at their disposal because they are used to them.
On the same note though, being here makes you see the beautiful things we have at home too.

RK: As an artiste what value has this tour added to you?
HM: I think now I can work with anyone on earth, no matter how difficult they are, or how absolutely good they are!
I have also learnt that everyone wants to be in the spotlight and it doesn’t hurt to give it every now and then.
Most importantly, though, I collaborated with many different musicians and did the some songs with them, from country to country.
I recorded these songs with different studios and the same songs took different characters all the time, even if I maintain the hope in the song.

So besides learning other music styles from other countries, I learnt that there are several possibilities and never one answer to art and life at times.
Here is what I mean. Decide who you invite in your life by the things you read, watch and listen to; the things you say or do not say; the places you go to or do not go to and that shapes the outcome of the song of your life.

Decide how much influence, who will have or not have, open up to new ideas, new avenues in life and that decides the outcome of the song of your life.
Decide nothing and other people will direct the song for you! Our lives, like songs, need freedom and protection at the same time!

RK: Who are some of the artistes you performed with?
HM: Too many to mention but I have worked with French band Collectif Diyananko, An amazing family of percussionists called Bangoura Family, Mbira dze Muninga, Bongo Love and French-based water percussionist Geraldine Zongo (she does amazing things with and in the water).
She plays proper drums in and on the water! (I had never seen such). French-based African storyteller Binda Ngazolo, from Senegal, kora player Ibou Cissokho, American based Marimba band called Ruzivo, James Mujuru and Tendai Muparutsa. For my last gig, I collaborated with big sis Busi Ncube.

RK: Which collaborations stood out for you and why?
HM: They were all very special. Each one of them taught me a lot of people skills and a lot musically too; which I will definitely take back home. Although I must say Ibou Cissokho and Hope Masike at Cafe Theatet was amazing.

Kora and mbira is massive, especially with my voice, laughing.

RK: What was the toughest part of the tour?
HM: I got sick and extremely tired because a tour involves a lot of travelling.
The flight from Europe to States is long and tiresome. On tour you also meet a lot of new people, from dignitaries to fellow musicians and other people you have to talk to.

There’s also a lot of rehearsing with new musicians.
By the time I finished my tour I had gone though the toughest flu I had ever had and serious fatigue.