Online Reporter
Maria Chiguvari
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
GOSPEL musician Joseph Chizuni says being raised by a single mother, and the struggles of growing up without a father, left a deep mark on his life.
The 33-year-old said music was never part of his original plan.
“My dream was to become a doctor,” he said.
That dream, however, was cut short by financial challenges.
After failing to proceed to A-Level and university due to lack of funds, Chuzuni was depressed and a bitter person and that pushed him towards music, not as a career, but as an escape.
“Music became my refuge. Music gave me so much peace and comfort that I ended up settling for it as a career,” he said.
Growing up, Chizuni’s musical world was far from gospel.
His playlist leaned heavily towards American rap and R&B heavyweights such as Lil Wayne, Tupac, R. Kelly and Usher.
In an interview with Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub, Chizuni said his story mirrors the realities of many young Zimbabweans.
Chizuni said his early experiences, coupled with later converting to Christianity, define both his sound and his message.
“Growing up with a single mother and the struggles that came with it and later on converting to Christianity greatly impacted the narrative of my music,” he says.
Chizuni’s gospel music is deeply personal.
He said his lyrics speak of faith, healing and identity, anchored in his relationship with God.
“I speak about my life as a Christian, the love of a father that I found in God and the peace that it has brought to me,” he said.
His songs are stories – some of victory, others of pain that reflect not only his own wins and losses but also the struggles he witnesses around him.
Chizuni said his inspiration comes from everyday life conversations, hardships, and moments of grace that often go unnoticed.
Turning passion into profession, however, has not been without its challenges.
Like many local artists, Chizuni has battled limited funding and a persistent sense of uncertainty.
“Not knowing if I will ever break into the mainstream or not has been one of my biggest challenges.”
Despite believing strongly in his talent and the value of his message, opportunities have been slow to come by.
“I found myself holding on to the hope that I will find my break.
“Instead of breaking me, the challenges sharpened me. The setbacks forced me to refine my craft, pushing him to improve sound, delivery and storytelling.
“That is a great win for me.
“Many times, I even thought of quitting to focus on other things but because I have this passion for music I found myself holding on to the hope that I will find my break.”
Putting music first affected several aspects of his life, including his marital status.
“Balancing between my music career and my personal life has never been easy honestly. To be frank everything seemed biased towards the music side.
“I usually put music first before everything else. This has affected a lot of areas in my life like my marital status and so on.
“I learnt that I need to draw a line between my music career and where my personal life out of music will begin.”
