adminLatwell Nyangu
YOUTH, Sport, Arts and Recreation Deputy Minister, Tino Machakaire, has urged artists to celebrate African identity through music.
He was speaking on behalf of Minister Kirsty Coventry during the launch of Breeze Music’s third album.
The all-female group launched their album, titled AfroBreeze, at a function attended by different artists, including Pastor G, Baba Machanic Manyeruke, Fusion 5 Mangwiro, among others.
Dep Minister Machakaire said: “I asked the girls why this latest album is called AfroBreeze and they explained to me that it is a celebration of our Africanness and African music with all its various genres, from Afro jazz, mhande to commercial house to traditional gospel.
“I agree that our Africa and our African cultures, dress, African art and music must be remembered and celebrated whenever we get a chance.
“It is our heritage.
“I was impressed when I talked to the executive director, Advocate Nyaradzo Maphosa and the music director of the group, Melody Mandisodza Muvuti, when they explained the gist of the song Sunshine.
“The group said we always seem to hear what other people, and other countries, have to say about our country, our circumstances and our prospects as a nation.
“It’s high time we as Zimbabweans told our own story – that we are still the land of sunshine, that we are lions with hearts of gold, we will never allow anyone to kill our dreams and as a nation we are rising.
“Powerful words indeed.
“What pleases us as Government is seeing women who utilise the many platforms set by Government to promote women empowerment, be it in education, business, economics or the arts which my Ministry stands for.
“For your own information, Zimbabwe is one of the most advanced countries in terms of closing the gender inequality gap in the Sub Saharan region.
“Our laws and various affirmative action initiatives bear testimony to that.
“Breeze has more than shown that in a male-dominated Music Industry, as an all-female band, they are a force to reckon with by working hard to become one of the best musicians Zimbabwe can boast of.”
Advocate Nyarie said they were excited:
“Everyone is excited after our launch. We also included our previous songs. We are also very relieved as we have been working so hard.
“We have been out there recording videos, two weeks we will release five videos and others will follow.
“It has been exhausting, we would sleep around 4am.
“It’s humbling to be recognised, we don’t even know we are dominating, we continue to work hard to make sure we are known.”
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter