adminLance Chigodo, Sunday Leisure Reporter
FINALLY it rains for Bulawayo artistes as they will get a chance to be honoured for their achievements in the music industry when the city hosts the inaugural Bulawayo Music Awards.
The awards, penciled in for December are a brainchild of seven vibrant Bulawayo music promoters who have taken it upon themselves to honour the city’s musicians. The promoters are Tyrone Mazarura, Andisiwe Dube, Nyasha William Gwazemba, Sympathy Mabetha, Prince Denhere, Wilbert Chibutse and Bruce Ncube.
In an interview with Sunday Leisure, the spokesperson of the promoters, Gwazemba said the awards were meant to revive Bulawayo musicians’ faith in the music industry. Some musicians have walked away from the industry because the gains were laughable compared to the efforts they put in.
“We saw that the Bulawayo artistes are not appreciated and are sidelined in national big events so we are taking this as an opportunity to appreciate them and keep them in the industry,” he said.
Gwazemba also said the awards were being launched to show Bulawayo artistes that contrary to the wide held perception that Bulawayo does not honour its own, their music was appreciated in the city. The music industry has not been friendly to Bulawayo artistes. Piracy has extinguished the idea of royalties and lack of funds has seen artistes failing to move from amateur to professional level in the music industry. According to Gwazemba awarding Bulawayo musicians will in a way help offset the losses.
To ensure that the awards ceremony lives up to its billing, Gwazemba revealed that the promoters have gone out of their way to find sponsors for the inaugural event.
“We have not yet set an exact date and venue but the awards will be held sometime in December. The other reason why we have not set the date is because we are looking for sponsors and also getting to talk to our city fathers to come in and help this event become a success,” said Gwazemba.
Bongani Ndlovu