Mhiribidi goes solo, set to release seven-track album

later this month. The album is entitled Dzorira.

 

The producer-cum-artiste has been working in Botswana where he produced traditional music for a number of artistes such as Maxy Mma Gauta of the Cherikwa fame in 2007.

In an interview, Mhiribidi, better known by his stage name True African, said this was his first solo album.

“This is my first album titled Dzorira, which I believe still needs polishing up before it is released.”

“I want to follow the right channels and procedures before releasing it as I am yet to finalise a few things with Zimbabwe Music Rights Association,” said True African.

The seven-track album includes tracks such as the title track to the album, Dzorira, that is on a tribal note, highlighting domestic issues that families go through everyday.

Chengeta is a song whereby a father tells his son that he can no longer stay with him because he is old enough to look after himself. The track encourages youths to find something worthwhile to do rather than wait for their parents to fend for their every need.

True African’s track Hama Yako is a poetic song that asks people if they know who their real relatives are as in times of trials and tribulations, some would be nowhere to be seen yet when things are good, they want to benefit as well.

The producer-cum-musician worked with the likes of Otis Ngwabi, his sister Carol and Leslie Luwizhi as backing vocalists on some of the tracks and Trevor Ncube on guitars among others.

True African also said he had worked with a number of people, both at home and abroad, but had reached a point where he had to work alone.

“I have worked with quite a number of artistes here and abroad such as Mpendulo of Jika Majika and learned a lot from them.

“It is high time I work alone as this will help me grow,” he said.
The artiste said he wished promoters would appreciate local music and artistes’ efforts so that people could value their music.

“One of the reasons why most artistes focus on music with a foreign sound is because of the prevailing situation of promoters focusing a lot on what sells and this kills originality in the process,” he said.

True African said what inspired him to come up with the title track Dzorira was the fact that he wanted to re-establish himself in the country and bring a new feeling to traditional music.