Betty Makaya back with a bang

Standard People
Urban grooves songstress Betty Makaya has broken her silence by releasing two singles.

Urban grooves songstress Betty Makaya has broken her silence by releasing two singles.

REPORT BY TATENDA KUNAKA

The love songs titled Maybe and Chokwadi were recorded in Zimbabwe (Track Records) and South Africa (Turbo Lounge) respectively and released last week.

Makaya, who is now based in South Africa, had taken a long break from music to concentrate on an undisclosed personal business.

“The two singles are from my upcoming album [untitled], which I will release as soon as I have completed the other tracks,” she said.

The Usipo hit maker said she is more than ready to venture into music full-time.

Makaya is well-known for Jamal’s song Kurwizi on which she featured.

According to her, the new album will contain new and old material but she could not give further details.

“On the new album, I will work with people I have worked with before and new people as well. The content will include old and new stuff,” said Makaya.

She thanked fans who have shown her love and support over the years and said she hoped to touch their lives in a bigger and better way.

Makaya does not see herself coming back to settle in the country anytime soon.

“I don’t know when I will settle in Zimbabwe but I will be there frequently because I will be working on a couple of projects,” she said.

Makaya was one of the few female urban grooves musicians that managed to break into the male-dominated industry in an emphatic way.

Her album Ndichange Ndiripo propelled her to great heights. She scooped the Best Urban Grooves Artist award at the Zimbabwe Music Awards in 2004 and became the best overall female musician for the year.

She became a constant feature at a number of popular gigs that ushered urban grooves into the mainstream music industry.

Her light however dimmed around 2006 when she unexpectedly went underground. In 2007 she re-emerged in Victoria Falls after giving birth to her first born. She evaded media attention during that time, before relocating to South Africa.