Where are female music producers?

Viola Mzungwana .
It is easy to say music in Zimbabwe is a mana��s world. But the dominance of the likes of Shingisai Suluma, Selmor Mtukudzi, Lady Squanda to mention a few on the face side of the industry makes it appear as if women are only good at singing because hardly any women dare become fulltime producers.

Locally, no woman has in the past been nominated or recognised as a a�?producer of the yeara�?.

This is because the interaction between performer and producer has historically played out in a gendered arrangement a�� that of male producer equals female performer.

a�?I do not know of any female music producer but it is possible for women to venture into producing,a�? said Humphrey Domboka, the man behind Jah Prayzaha��s Kumagumo.

Domboka is working on a full-length Jah Prayzah album. However, the only women in the mix are backing vocalists.

a�?We only have backing musicians so far,a�? he added.

There is quite a number of women with executive positions in record companies but hardly any on the technical side of things.

Bulawayo-based vocalist Thandie Dlana whose debut jazz album entitled Ongaziwayo, released in 2013, simply has no interest in being a producer.

a�?My passion has always been singing. I have never considered producing. I prefer singing because it is something I started doing simply because I love it,a�? she said.

Now that it has been mentioned to her, she will a�?have a looka�? at it.

a�?I will find out more about it and see how it goes,a�? she said.

However, Selmor Mtukudzi, daughter of superstar Oliver has attempted music production.

a�?I produce and write my own music and it is actually good for me even though I have never thought of producing for anyone,a�? she said.

This scenario is not peculiar to Zimbabwe. Ita��s a worldwide defect a�� according to a 2013 research by Female: Pressure, an international organisation, there is an estimated five percent of female music producers in the mainstream.

Zenzele Ndebele, the director of Ingwe Studios, explained that academic qualifications do not necessarily make an individual a music producer.

Knowledge and passion for music is also a driving force that moulds astute producers.

a�?Normally for one to become a producer they must have a deep knowledge of music, one does not necessarily have to go to school to learn about music production. A music producer directs a musician on how to sing and control tempo among other things so a producer should be someone who knows about the music industry,a�? said Ndebele.

Ndebele also believes experience in the music industry also counts for one to be considered a successful producer.

a�?In most instances a producer would have been in the industry for a long time and has an intimate knowledge of music. A music producer should also be able to identify the musiciana��s market to make it easier to identify the target audience for a particular musician,a�? he added.

Music enthusiasts that are keen on learning the ropes on producing for other artistes have an option of studying Music and Musicology at the Midlands State University (MSU) and other higher learning institutions.

A music student at MSU, who also doubles as a DJ in Gweru, Tawanda Mupanemunda, said the degree programme offers extensive modules on music production.

The university also boasts of a recording studio.

a�?We have modules on music production and they are easy to understand. We also have a recording studio where we can fine tune our skills in music production. It gives us the opportunity to have a feel of life in the music industry whether as a musician or producer,a�? said Mupanemunda.

Mupanemunda is in his second year of study. In his class there are 13 students of which six are women.