adminBruce Ndlovu Showbiz Correspondent
THE entertainment and arts industry around the globe is what it is today due to the efforts of men and women whose talents have lit up stages and TV screens.
While in the past the profession in which one found themselves in was dictated by gender, the lines have been somewhat blurred in recent times as society slowly frees itself of the centuries-old chains of sexism and misogyny.
Although music was not untouched by gender related problems, the voices of female performers around the world have been loud enough to at times shine through the cloud of gender based oppression. In the past, divas such as Billie Holiday, Miriam Makeba, Busi Mhlongo and Stella Chiweshe, have gone on to shape the direction of music in their respective countries. Needless to say, the female touch in the music industry has left an indelible mark that cannot be erased by misguided prejudice.
Presently, female perfomers on the international stage are proving more successful than their male counterparts. This week, the US international chart monitor Billboard saw its Hot 100 list led by women, as they occupied the top 5 slots for the fifth week in a row, setting a new record in the chart’s 56 years of existence. All About That Bass hit maker Megan Trainor led an all-female cast that included Nicki Minaj at the apex of the chart that measures the popularity of music singles on the international stage.
On the local scene however, the fortunes of female musicians seem to be going in the opposite direction. In the past the country could point towards a few female divas who were able to command the same amount of respect as their male counterparts. The likes of Stella Chiweshe and later Chiwoniso Maraire showed that their fingers could handle the mbira as well as any male artiste while their tender voices could touch the hearts of fans just as much. The early part of the century saw the emergence of a new breed of vocalists led by the likes of Plaxedes Wenyika and Betty Makaya who captivated youths with their soulful voices that incorporated many elements of what was then the country’s fastest growing youth genre; urban grooves.
In recent times, however, the trickle of truly popular music divas seems to have dried even further, with very few female perfomers able to command the popularity and following of their male colleagues. An analysis of the country’s most popular genres may lead one to conclude that what may have been a starvation of local perfomers in the local mainstream has now turned into a full blown famine.
Perhaps most telling is the lack of notable perfomers in the Sungura genre, which has been the most popular in the country for decades. In the genre’s illustrious history, there has been no notable female superstars, with most, if not all, of its top perfomers being men.
Some have argued that the world of Sungura music is a dog eat dog one, in which a woman would find it hard to survive. The same argument has also been made for the country’s new popular craze, Zim dancehall. This latest offspring from the Zimbabwean music seems to have gone the way of its older siblings, with most of the genre’s overnight sensations being men.
The dancehall genre is one that is characterized by bravado and showmanship, two features that might make it unattractive to female musicians. Indeed the female perfomers that have so far made an impact in the scene seems to be cut from a different cloth from the rest. Lady B and Squanda have stolen the scene with their lyrics, which are loaded with as much vulgarity and aggressiveness like those of their male counterparts. It seems like the way for female performers to make it in the increasingly competitive world of Zim dancehall is leave behind their feminine traits and adopt the mannerisms of their male counterparts.
In an interview with the Sunday Mail, Squanda confirmed that she had to leave behind her softer side, thus turning herself into a sheep in wolf’s clothing as she seeks to match the bark of her of her male counterparts.
“Zim dancehall is not for the faint hearted. It’s for men which is why I call myself a man. There is nothing that can be done by a male Zim dancehall artiste that I cannot. Where they swim, I swim and where they hunt I hunt,” she said.
Sungura and dancehall have been turned into male hunting grounds because their terrain is deemed too rough for women. Mere talent it seems, is not to be enough. Producers and promoters have in the past been accused of asking for sexual favours from female perfomers, a rumour confirmed by female dancehall performer, Bounty Lisa.
“We are as talented as our male counterparts but you realise that we are left out of most of the shows. That is why most of the girls end up giving sexual favours for a chance to perform at the big shows,” she said.
Female performers have found the going easier in the gospel music genre. While women in other genres are usually viewed as of loose morals because the life of performer does not fit society’s traditional view of women, female performers are usually spared this judgment because of the message their music carries. Female perfomers rarely ruffle feathers with their content hence many have been accepting of their standing which has seen the likes of Mai Charamba and Shingisai Sulumani rising to superstardom.
However, despite their success, even women in the gospel genre have it rough, as they are subject to extra scrutiny that their male counterparts do not endure. While their content earns the seal of approval, female perfomers are closely monitored for their on and off stage behaviour, revealing attire and choice of partners. The treatment of gospel stars in the past seems to suggest that the public have had a hard time digesting the fact that although they chose gospel music as their career, female performers like everyone are far from beingsaints. Female gospel perfomers thus not only have to practice what they sing but also lead an angelic existence in order to maintain an untarnished image in the public’s eye.
As the fight for female empowerment gains further ground and makes steady progress, more and more women are finding themselves in places that were previously closed to them. However, the state of Zimbabwean music, sadly reveals that progress has not been made in all areas and some old obstacles still stand in the way of women in some professions.
Online Reporter