adminGodwin Muzari Showbiz Mirror
Since Tongai Moyo’s death sungura fans had sympathy for his son, Peter. Because of Tongai’s hard work, there was intense competition in the music industry during his time. Tongai was a musician who always put pressure on his competitors. The era when he was at the peak of his career remains an exciting period of the music industry.
It was such an eventful era and since his death the zeal to outdo each other which made the industry exciting seems to be slowly dying.
So, when Peter took over, fans immediately rallied behind him and a lot of solidarity gestures from fellow musicians and promoters came his way.
Although he really struggled (and still does) to impress people that he can take his father’s dream to another level, there was general patience among fans.
Sympathy kept Peter afloat and, because his father called himself “Igwe” as one of the many self-praise nicknames that he piled on his name, fans christened Peter “Young Igwe” as a way of inspiring him to work for the music throne.
But Peter seems to be forgetting where he came from.
His behaviour of coming late for shows is not acceptable.
His decision not to turn up for a show in Bulawayo last weekend should be condemned because it shows lack of respect for fans.
It took time for Peter to record an album and his career was almost doomed when a producer refused to record him saying his voice was not for the studio.
Fans still rallied behind Peter and came to shows to cheer that poor voice.
People always cheer their own even when the situation looks hopeless as a way of encouraging one another to do better.
The spirit of solidarity does not totally condemn failure but says: “Keep on trying, you can do better than this”.
In that spirit, Peter’s failure to record an album in his scheduled time was not condemned.
Even when the album is not doing so well, fans are still coming to his shows.
Now, these are the same fans that Peter is short-changing.
That behaviour is tantamount to digging an own grave. We have many examples of musicians that buried their careers because of lack of discipline and disrespect for fans.
Now we ask “where are they now?” because they have sunk into oblivion.
Fans do not want to be taken for granted because there are so many musicians to support.
Peter should have known this before he decided to become a musician.
I have always observed some traits of arrogance in Peter’s behaviour.
The problem is that he did not understand his father’s strategy well.
Tongai was said to be aloof, but it was a way of branding himself.
He had a certain class of presentation that he wanted to maintain and that is why he ignored people that called him a peacock and went on to sing “Ganda Remvura” bragging that he was being labelled arrogant because he was a snappy dresser.
Indeed, he was smart. But Tongai still knew that his survival depended on his fans and that is why, as arrogant as he was said to be, he would always associate his music with “mahwindi” and “makorokoza”.
That is why he would never come late for shows.
That is why he would be strict with his band members to instil discipline in the camp.
That is why he would turn up for a show looking frail during his last days just to fulfil assignments.
That is why some fans wept when they saw him persevering on stage when it was apparent he was in pain. Tongai had respect for his career and his fans. He was professional.
While Peter might want an identity different from his father to build his own independent brand (Sulu-mani Chimbetu successfully did it), he should be very careful what he chooses.
Lack of professionalism is definitely not the brand.
Online Reporter