Online Reporter
MUSICAL ensemble Mokoomba are the group with the biggest appeal, when it comes to local bands, on the international scene.
Their appeal, which keeps growing, is seen in the way this group continues to be signed for gigs all over the world.
There are a lot of other Zimbabwean groups which go for tours all over the world.
But, there is a difference between all these groups and all these artists and Mokoomba.
The main difference is that Mokoomba do not play to crowds, which are predominantly Zimbabwean, like the other groups whose crowds will be about 95 percent Zimbabwean.
The fans who pay to watch Mokoomba are of largely diverse nationalities.
These are men and women who come to the show and leave without understanding even one of the words, which Mokoomba would have belted out in their songs all night long, but still go back home happy.
That is the power of music and Mokoomba are demonstrating it in a very big way.
The authoritative Vice magazine noted that powerful music shatters the barriers of language.
This is the power that Mokoomba have because their music is intense and it finds a way to appeal to thousands of people who don’t know what they are singing about.
Mokoomba have been one of our music industry’s biggest success stories and it’s disappointing that these guys do not get the credit which they deserve on the local scene.
Mokoomba deserve all the support we can give them.
Last year, the group held a total of 29 shows in the United States between mid-June to August 16.
The dates also included the group’s participation at four prestigious music festivals, which included the African Vibration Music Festival and the Africa World Music Festival.
However, we haven’t seen some of our leading groups, who have the ambition to do very well on the international scene, engaging with Mokoomba to share tips of how they can also get the same appeal, and success, which the boys from Victoria Falls are enjoying.
We don’t know whether this is because of jealousy or just a superiority complex which is really stopping some of our leading artists, who are struggling to make a similar impact in Europe, to tap some knowledge from Mokoomba.
We believe there is a lot which the other leading local artists, including the likes of Jah Prayzah, can learn from Mokoomba.
Mathew Masinge