admin
Arts Reporter
Are you tired of listening to sungura music where everyone plays just like everybody else?
Or you listen to the radio and you find that most of the latest sungura songs being played sound the same, leaving you yearning for something fresh and different?
If so, then you are the right candidate for sungura musician Wellington Mushangwe’s just released sixth album titled “Mari Shoma Kuwanda”.
Through this masterpiece with six songs, Mushangwe, who leads the Tatonga Kwedu Crew, has confirmed his merit in the genre by defining his own style.
What is unique about Mushangwe, a former rhythm guitarist for Jonah Moyo’s fiery Devera Ngwena Jazz Band, is his departure from sungura beats that are associated with other musicians.
As a former member of Devera Ngwena, one would have thought Mushangwe would fall for Jonah Moyo’s “Tsvava Tsvava” style he had become used to playing.
With this entertaining album — for every song on it has the mark of a hit — Mushangwe has proved that he has the capability to shape his own destiny, and still remain relevant and popular among sungura music lovers.
This diversity has been the missing link in sungura music, as many of the upcoming stars have been adopting beats popularised by others with reckless abandon, in the process making their music too predictable, and sometimes boring.
“I am trying my best to come up with something fresh and help reform sungura so that we move with times and not repeat beats we have heard before that were created by others,” says Mushangwe.
“If you listen carefully to how I play on this album, it is totally different from others. It remains sungura, but slightly new, fresh and still entertaining. I am doing this to help the genre to remain relevant and on top.
“This album I have just released has been welcomed by my fans in leaps and bounds. What pleases me is the feedback I am getting on various platforms, with the music lovers saying they like my guitar styles and the message on the songs.”
The songs on the album are “Kushaiwa Zivo”, “Rudzi Rumwe”, “Nzeve Dzako”, “Mwari Havapikiswe”, “Tumai Vatumwa” and “Vaikuremekedzai Amai”.
“Kushaiwa Zivo” is an advice to those who want to pull others down, while “Rudzi Rumwe” talks about how bad it is to oppress others at work places and in general.
On “Nzeve Dzako”, Mushangwe criticises those who spread false deaths notices and on “Mwari Havapikiswe” he makes it clear that when it is your time to shine, no one can stop it.
“Tumai Vatumwa” is a Covid-19 song pleading with God to intervene and stop the disease, while “Vaikuremekedzai Amai” is against domestic violence and abuse of women.
Mushangwe said he mostly sings about culture, society in general and marriage.
He said Covid-19 drastically affected him and fellow musicians.
“As musicians, we mainly survive through shows, but Covid-19 has disrupted all that. We were supposed to perform in Australia last year, but we failed to travel because of Covid-19. The organisers are still in touch and they want us to come as soon as these issues around Covid-19 are no longer a factor.
“We are in the process of coming up with videos to songs on this latest album to compensate for the lack of shows.
“Another album is coming by the end of year and I urge our fans to continue following us closely for the new projects.”
Mushangwe urged sungura music followers to take their time listening to his latest offering and let the message and the guitars sink in.
Online Reporter