The Zhakata puzzle

No artiste is arguably as baffling as Leonard “Karikoga” Zhakata.

Zhakata, aka Baba Chamu, is one singer who effortlessly tops music charts on radio stations each time he has a new offering.

However, his live gigs are “often” tear-jerkers owing to miserably low attendance.

Why should a decorated artiste like him struggle to attract a decent crowd?

Surely, crowds of 50 or less people per gig are definitely an insult to this legend!

We always wonder why the thousands of Zora music followers who religiously vote for him on radio are shy showgoers.

I would bet that the man is now tired of playing before empty venues.

At the peak of his powers, Baba Chamu was a crowd magnet that easily attracted multitudes. A little history lesson can help here.

In 1994, at the age of 26, Zhakata became the youngest Zimbabwean musician to sell more than 100 000 copies of a musical album when “Maruva Enyika” sold more than 120 000 copies.

And for five years stretching from 1994, he ruled the roost by dominating the airwaves with albums like “Maruva Enyika”, “Nhamo Dzenyika”, “Mandishorei”, “Nzombe Huru”, “Vagoni Vebasa”, “Ndingaite Sei” and “Pakuyambuka”.

Even legends such as the late Leonard Dembo and John Chibadura, including Dr Thomas Mapfumo, felt the heat from the then-young musician. But to borrow a word or two from one of his popular songs, “… dzangova ndangariro” (it’s now just memories).

It seems the singer has since lost his mojo.

A fortnight or so back, Zhakata held a gig in the capital that was more like a rehearsal.

The total fan count, including band members and staff at the venue, was less than 40.

The numbers are invariably the same for every other gig, and it might not be surprising if they know each other on a first-name basis.

Please note, we are not taking a dig at his gigs. These days, flops are not uncommon, even for the so-called “Big Five”, but it gets worrying when this trend is repeated with obscene regularity, especially for Zhakata.

But, what is even more disturbing is the fact that Baba Chamu is also being upstaged by greenhorns.

Recently, he went head-to-head with Sasha aMadhuve, who had a counter gig a stone’s throw away from where he was performing.

The entrance fee was the same and the two artistes were pencilled to start their performances around the same time.

It was the little-known Sasha who pulled the crowds. It seems the only time Baba Chamu entertains big crowds is when holds joint gigs with some of the top young acts.

Zhakata is a pastor with one of the biggest churches in the capital, from where he draws part of his fan base.

Some people believe that it is these fans that help him top local radio music charts.

So what does this tell us.

Well, it tells us that while these fans are prepared to vote him to relevance, they are not prepared to join him on the dance floor.

They might need to reconsider.

They say the more the merrier.

In any case, he is not that active on the showbiz circuit. Make no mistake about it, Zhakata is still a good performer.

His act is also polished and energetic.

And his band also delivers first-grade choreography and vocals on stage.