South Africa’s DJ Cndo comes to Harare with her fellow artist Ntombi, for a show at Holly’s Hotel on Friday June 28.
BY OUR STAFF
The duo, from Durban’s Finest camp, tours the country about three weeks after another artist from South Africa, Lira, rocked Harare.
The Lira show was organised by Chris Musabayana of Ghetto Fabulous Promotions, a company that hosted Zahara in Harare in March.
Between Zahara and Lira’s shows, Harare had vainly waited for another South African group, Micasa’s performance. The Micasa show was cancelled at the 11th hour, due to a misunderstanding between the group and the show promoter. The group compensated its local fans with a show at the Harare International Festival of the Arts.
The influx of South African artists reflects a new trend among local promoters, that now prefer artists from across the Limpopo River. Musabayana said the choice of foreign artists depends on a promoter’s target market.
“When promoters bring foreign artists into the country, the basic determinant is popularity and the number of fans that you expect at a show,” said Musabayana.
“We have different target marketsbut we all look at returns. If the artist is popular and can attract the biggest crowd that a promoter would need, it does not matter how far they come from. Of course we have to weigh the costs against expected income, but at times we take greater risk.
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“However, sometimes taking smaller risks and bringing artists at a lower cost is reasonable. Promoters bringing artists from South Africa should be making such a consideration.”
Another promoter who preferred anonymity said, Zimbabwean promoters are afraid of taking risks and always want to follow what their counterparts are doing.
“I think most promoters are just not imaginative. If one promoter brings a Jamaican musician and makes a good event, all the other promoters stampede to bring Jamaican artists,” said the promoter.
“If you follow our showbiz scene, you will realise that we have a weakness of copying others. There was a time when it was fashionable to bring an artist from the United States and there was a period when everyone was targeting reggae and dance hall artists from Jamaica. Now the focus has shifted to South Africa and very soon the trend is going to change.”
Biggie Chinoperekwei, who is hosting DJ Cndo and Ntombi had a different view.
“The consideration of foreign artists that promoters bring in the country is usually hinged on costs involved. There are promoters that have brought musicians from as far as Japan or the United States and made huge losses,” said Chinoperekwei.
“It is a fact that the most popular international artists come from outside Africa ,but it takes a lot of effort and investment to host them. I think it all depends on what a promoter wants to achieve, but recently most promoters have been cautious, hence the rise in regional artists performing in the country.”
Chinoperekwei said he was looking forward to a big event when he hosts DJ Cndo and Ntombi.
“The female artists are good at their trade and they have many local fans. We are looking forward to a big event.”
DJ Cndo was born Sindisiwe Zungu, born 1984 in Mandeni outside of Durban. While studying at Mangosuthu Technikon she developed an interest in being a disc jockey and started learning how to mix at Durban’s Finest DJ Academy.
In 2005 Durban’s Finest saw her potential and invited her under the Durban’s Finest umbrella. After that she started playing in most Durban’s Finest parties around Durban and her profile has grown over the years.
