An unknown Sam Dondo left Kadoma at the age of 22, but little did he know that eight years later he would return to the mining town where he cut his musical teeth as one of the most decorated musicians in the country.
By Moses Mugugunyeki
On December 21, the gangly Afro-fusion artist takes his act to The Odyssey in Kadoma where he will launch his second album titled Game Changer.
The Impala Subway Crooners frontman makes his emotional return to the town where he was not known musically and he believes it’s time he retraces his roots.
“I owe the people of Kadoma big time. Launching my album there is payback time,” he said.
“Yes, I was not known by then since I only performed in church choirs. This time I am going back there with the new album, which is a dedication to the folks in Kadoma.”
Game Changer, according to Dondo, is not that different from his debut album Dyara Minamato.
“The Afro-fusion beat is still the same, but I have incorporated a few tunes of lovers’ reggae because that’s the kind of music I like. I wanted to include it on my first album, but I was advised to accommodate it on this album and it’s a treat for reggae lovers,” he said.
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The album is a potpourri of danceable songs overlaid with powerful vocals, buoyant lyricism and a tasty sprinkling of Zimbabwean beat.
“Dyara Minamato was mainly for the mature, but this latest album targets a diversified audience. There are danceable tracks like the title track Game Changer,” he said.
“My messages have a social bearing which was inspired by my brief stint with a UK-based humanitarian organisation [International Reading Association] which I worked for during my stay in Botswana.
“We went to Tanzania and Zambia and I saw the face of poverty. I have seen how families struggle to raise children and this is what I am singing with reference to my country.”
Unlike in April when Dondo launched the album Dyara Minamato at an event that was graced by some of the country’s top performers — Oliver Mtukudzi, Alick Macheso, Jah Prayzah, Sulumani Chimbetu and Winky D — this time Jah Prayzah will be the only supporting act.
“It’s a decision that came from the management, but I think we are going to incorporate one or two acts from Kadoma,” he said.
His backing group Impala Subway Crooners, which is a blend of youth and experience, is still intact.
“We have maintained the group and we are supporting each other. The young ones are learning from the old horses and it’s something that makes the group tick,” he said.
The 30-year-old crooner has also retained the production team led by Munya Viya, who also doubles as the keyboardist. South Africa-based producer Keith Farquharson is behind the mixing and mastering of the nine-track album.
Dondo said he was also working on a DVD album that will carry tracks from his two albums.
“I am working on the videos for some of the songs. I have selected some tracks from Dyara Minamato and Game Changer. I am hoping to show the videos on the day of the launch,” he said.
