Mutsvene band member opens studio

Tafadzwa Zimoyo Entertainment Reporter
Gospel music diva, Mercy Mutsvene might be lying low, but her contribution to the Zimbabwe music scene goes beyond the albums that made her famous. She has also produced a number of polished singers and instrumentalists who are now holding their own, years after working with her, and one of them is instrumentalist-cum-music producer, Luckie Kaparautsa.

Kaparautsa is the founder of Joy of Life Studios based in Unit P, Chitungwiza. Ever since opening its doors to the public, the studio has recorded the likes of Madzibaba Nicholas Zakaria who was featured on a project by one of the artistes from the stable, while yesteryear gospel great, Brother Sam’s young brother, Mowbrey Munyai, is also part of the list of promising new talent to emerge from the studio.

Joy of Life Studios recently released Munyai’s debut album titled “Ngariende Shoko”, while the likes of Trymore Bande — famed for his music that sounds like Pastor Charles Charamba’s — Elder Shepherd Shamu, Elias Kufazvinei and Faith Charowa-Njumba are part of the artistes from the same stable.

In an interview with The Herald Entertainment Kaparautsi, it has not been an easy road for the studio to be where it is today.

“It has been a rocky road, but with determination and support from artistes like Mercy Mutsvene whom I played for years, I managed to assemble the equipment that now make up this studio,” he said.

Although artistes have gained confidence in him owing to his Midas touch, he still believes that more should be done in terms of improving the standards, given the chance to acquire more gadgets to beef up the studio.

“We are happy with the work that we are doing, and this is the reason why we are attracting some of the best talents in the country, but the desire for excellence always prods us to seek ways and means of ensuring that we keep abreast with evolving technological trends by acquiring more state-of-the-art gadgets,” he said.

Kaparautsi descends from a family of musicians, having been inspired by his father who used to play the banjo while the golden-oldies group, Hurungwe Sounds, which had some of his relatives, was another music conduit for him. “The music bug bit me at the age of 11, and since then, I never looked back, something which saw me recording my own albums in 2005 and 2008,” he said.