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Kundai Marunya
Arts Correspondent
As the list of artists of Zimbabwean origin making waves abroad continues to grow, this year’s edition of the Shoko festival has tapped into the amazing talent of Jordan Moozy, a multi-award-winning musician whose influence has seen him perform across the region and in Europe.
Born Emmanuel Muzenda to Zimbabwean parents in Botswana, Moozy’s performance at Shoko’s “Mash Up Night” yesterday was his debut show in the country he calls home.
In an exclusive interview with Herald Arts, the artist, who was recently crowned Botswana’s Best Male Artist and Best R ‘n’ B musician and is on the verge of winning Artist of the Year, said his performance at Shoko was special.
“This is my first time in Zimbabwe coming as an artist to perform, and it feels special because Zimbabwe is my home after all,” he said. “I’m just curious to see how people will take my music.”
Moozy, who first came up as an Afro-pop artist, defies the boundaries of genres and blends different influences; this is what he brought to the table for Shoko Festival.
Though influenced by world music inclinations, Moozy cannot resist playing around with his Zimbabwean roots, evident with the Shona lyrics he blends with Tswana and English and a touch of Oliver Mtukudzi guitar style.
“Oliver Mtukudzi is one of the musicians I used to listen to a lot,” he said. “There is one song that I do called “No War” which I do using his finger-picking guitar style.
“I like a lot of his stuff that a lot of my backings on my songs are influenced by his backing vocals in particular.”
Though born and raised in Botswana, Moozy lived in Harare for two years beginning when he was 13 years of age.
During that time, he was exposed to jazz music through his cousins who were in a band.
Being of foreign origin has its impediments in foreign lands, but Moozy managed to sail through them and ultimately found his big break.
The “On You” hitmaker said he started to sing at a very young age.
“I started singing in Sunday school choir, my mom was the teacher,” he said. “She would always ask me to lead songs, and seeing the reaction from people, I fell in love with music, then I would sing to impress girls later on in life.
“I then became serious about music after dropping out of school while in form four after my parents failed to raise school fees. I’ve never regretted my decision to follow this path.”
Moozy said his big break came through a radio drama and has continued to grow since then.
“There was a record label that was coming up who a direction of where they wanted to be so I started working with them,” he said. “I remember I did an audition for a radio drama for an agency called Sky Girl which is funded by Bill and Melinda Gates and I got the part.
“Ever since I entered that circle I met a lot of people who knew more than I did and sort of carried me to the next stage of my career and eventually I grew.”
Meanwhile, the Shoko Festival kicked off on a high note with the Hub Unconference at Moto Republic where journalists were engaged in discussions on artificial intelligence and how it can be used to fight fake news.
They were also taken through a Google Tools Training by Ken Kiunga, a Google News Lab teaching fellow.
The conference continues today and is open to the public free of charge upon prior registration.
The festival lit up Harare with a cocktail of music performances through their various shows at Moto Republic last night including a Women’s cypher featuring rising female artists.
The crowning show was however the Mash Up Night, a collaborative show that featured Jordan Moozy, Raven Duchess, Leon Mwana Wa Joze, and the highly-rated Mary Annibal.
Shows to look forward to today include the poetry slam featuring top South African poets Xabiso Vili and Banshee among many other wordsmiths.
Simuka Comedy’s Roast of Kuda Musasiwa a.k.a Begotten Sun at Reps Theatre is one of the major events of the festival.
It kicks off at 6.30 pm featuring Doc Vikela, Blacperl, Candice Mwakalyelye, R. Peels, and Ba Shupi.
The festival will end with “Peace In The Hood” at Chitungwiza’s Unit L Hall grounds on Saturday afternoon.
The show to be held free of charge features Gemma Griffiths, Nutty O, Hwinza, Tha Nu Vyb, and Bling4, among many others.
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