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Trust Khosa
Zimpapers Arts & Entertainment Hub
TATENDA “Spanner Boy” Pinjisi, was renowned for his unique style of “soft sungura,” expertly blended laid-back rhythms with crisp vocals that set him apart from others.
This authenticity distinguished him from most artistes of his generation, who often resort to imitation.
His bravery in inventing his own sound made him a creative genius among his contemporaries.
With a vibrant sense of humour and a contagious laugh, he effortlessly connected with everyone around him, becoming a beloved figure in any social circle.
During jam sessions at City Sports Bar in Harare, Pinjisi was hard to miss whenever he was around.
Whether he was on stage or not, he would always come to support fellow musicians.
Of course, he loved ciders, with Savanna Premium being his favourite.
This writer had the privilege of sharing drinks with him on countless occasions, and he was truly a fine young man.
Remarkably, he never showed any signs of drunkenness, even after downing one too many.
I first met Tatenda around 2015, when he gained fame with his hit track “Saina,” which made him a household name.
A man of many talents, Pinjisi also felt a calling to serve God.
His untimely death has plunged the arts sector and indeed the whole nation into mourning.
On Sunday, he succumbed to multiple fractures sustained in a car accident along the Bulawayo highway, just after the Norton Tollgate.
At only 34 years old, Pinjisi was destined for greatness and it’s heartbreaking to note that he has passed away in the prime of his life.
His burial is set for Kahwa Village in Mutoko on Wednesday and many hope that his talent won’t be interred with his remains.
Musicians of his calibre are hard to come by, and only God knows what the future holds without Pinjisi. While we may not have him physically, his music will live on to inspire future generations.
Just last year, he launched his sixth album, “Varidzi Vebasa,” which chronicled his battle with drugs.
He was never shy about sharing how he once became a slave to addiction.
Pinjisi, who started using drugs during the COVID-19-induced lockdown, shared his story as a genuine warning to youngsters not to indulge in drugs.
As a role model, he took this brave stance to warn society about the dangers of drug use.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, drug abuse was rampant among the youth. I confess that I was a victim of marijuana, mutoriro, and other drugs.
“I began visualising things creeping on my back, feeling unbelievable energy, seeing daylight during the night and the opposite during the day. It is now over, and that is why I am honestly coming back to you to confess. That is why I wrote the song ‘Mutoriro,’ whose lyrics will leave parents shedding tears,” narrated Pinjisi in an interview with H-Metro last year.
In the same interview, he also confessed to having lied about being a pastor, despite being spotted preaching on street corners.
“I lied that I had abandoned sungura for Christianity; I then quarantined myself, praying to Jesus in privacy, without any church. I have started these anti-drug abuse shows because Kadoma had a victim who used a knife to cut his stomach while under the influence of drugs,” he said in the same interview.
Now that he is gone, Pinjisi, like any other man, had his flaws.
He may have gone to meet the maker, but his legacy won’t be tainted by a few shenanigans in his life.
The good thing about him is that he was brave enough to share his problems with the world.
On several occasions, we have seen men die in silence, and it’s quite a shame that many of them have become fragile.
Each time we met, he reflected on his past as a rookie, expressing how he moved from one band to another in search of opportunities.
He would recall how his journey started in the back of beyond before he came to Harare in 2007 to work with Gift Amuli at Zvishavane Sounds.
He was always with his cousin, Howard Pinjisi, journeying together in search of new opportunities in showbiz.
Pinjisi would narrate how he left Zvishavane Sounds to become a session artist with several bands.
In 2015, he bravely formed his own ensemble, The Holy Super Sounds, and recorded his debut album, “Rumbidzo Kumusiki,” which included the hit “Saina.”
He went on to release several albums, but his debut album, like the first cut, was deeper. It carried him to where he was at the time of his death.
According to his profile, Pinjisi was born in Mutoko on August 7, 1991 and was raised in the village where he received his education. His career and love for music began while he was still in primary school.
Determined to hone his skills, he once worked with his cousin Howard Pinjisi at Umbiridzo Express, where he was mentored and perfected his craft.
He was a chart-topper who left a trail of success, featuring on every disc jockey’s playlist on radio stations.
The sad reality is that Pinjisi has “signed off” at the tender age of 34.
It can only be part of God’s plan, which we may not understand, but the young man was in a league of his own.
He is now singing with angels in heaven after a career cut short by the cruel hand of death, which has snatched him away.
His journey was not just about music; it was about resilience, hope, and the power of redemption. May his soul rest in peace!
Online Reporter