HEIGHT: At six feet tall, Shingi says most men feel intimidated by her height
Zimbabwean music may be just about to give birth to the next gem.
BY SILENCE CHARUMBIRA
She is Shingi Mangoma, a 24-year-old former Arundel School student and a holder of degree in Legal Theory, Politics and International Relations from Rhodes University, South Africa.
On listening to her music it is difficult for one to accept that she is just a budding artist, who a few months ago never imagined she would be a musician.
There is a degree of confidence in her vocal ability and composure that entices the listener and thrusts them into a fantasyland.
But the leggy artist who could have easily chosen a career in modelling considering her astounding 1,83metres height, says she started recording by mistake in March this year.
“I started recording around March this year, in that sense I am a novice. Otherwise, my musical history can be found in choirs throughout high school. I was head chorister in my final year at Arundel and I also led the cultural choir. For the cultural choir, I would compose songs and teach them to the girls,” she said.
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“I took a singing hiatus throughout college as I focussed on my studies, but during this time I was nurtured by specific music tastes like Nina Simone, Amy Winehouse, Corrine Bailey Rae, Chiwoniso and Oliver Mtukudzi.”
It was during the Christmas holidays of 2012 that she showed her true colours.
“The youth at my church were asked to do a project for the Christmas carols, and this at times required us to go into the studio. I immediately felt at home in the studio, prompting me to start my own work,” she said.
Asked why she did not choose modelling instead, the vivacious beauty said she felt there was more space to express herself better with music than modelling.
“I am very tall. I am sure it is a little intimidating. I am six feet tall and I love it. I am not apologetic about my height,” she said conceding men feel intimidated by her height.
“Modelling probably would not fill the creative artistic side of me.”
The younger of two children Shingi lost her father in 2004 but says her mother has been supportive of her music career calling it a “God given talent”.
The musician, who is yet to release her debut album says she has got an EP (extended play) and her debut release will be available on the market by February next year.
“My collection has six songs Hokoyo, Run, Ndaramba, Shattered Limits, Heart of a Phoenix and Let the music save you.”
Shingi prefers to call her music Afro Fusion, specifically because of the dominance of mbira supported by the various Afrocentric sounds.
“I call my music Afro Fusion because it is always a mixture of an Afrocentric sound combined with jazz, RnB, pop, indie; you name it. It is always a combination of Afrocentric instruments mixed with another genre to make a hybrid genre, Afro-Soul-Fusion. Run in particular is a fusion of mbira and jazz,” she said.
She said she would be pursuing her Masters’ degree next year, although for now she is concentrating on her performances, as it is now wedding season and she is hired to perform at various weddings.
She performed at the Harare International Festival of the Arts (Hifa) this year and at the UNWTO preparation function, which she says is her biggest performance yet. She also performed at the Fashion Weekend Zimbabwe held two weeks ago at the Glasshouse Borrowdale Racecourse.
