THE harsh economic climate pushed a number of Zimbabweans to foreign soils with a large chunk finding refuge in South Africa. One such person who could not stomach the effects of a failing economy and was compelled to join the “great trek” across the Limpopo is yesteryear musician, James Adams.
By staff reporter
Adams, who is popularly known for the ballad hit Chidzidzo, has been in South Africa over the years, doing what he knows best.
“I am a singer, producer and instrumentalist and that is what I have been doing here in South Africa since the time I left Zimbabwe. Yes, I left Zimbabwe just like many others because things were not well that side,” Adams told The Standard Style from his South African base.
The musician, who made his name under the urban grooves movement recently released an eight-track album, alongside South African Nobuhle Ngcobo.
“I have just released an album titled Onai that I did with a South African singer Nobuhle. It’s now on the market in South Africa and I am now into jazz,” said Adams, who before leaving for South Africa worked with Delani Makhalima, TK 5, TBA, Yombri Man, Memory Zaranyika, Ngoni Kambarame, The Essence, Langton Deo, Mr Mukoi, Jairos Hambahamba and TK Hollun.
With TK Hollun, the two reunited in South Africa and are producing music together.
“I am working with a number of Zimbabwean artists in South Africa and Zimbabwe. With TK Hollun we are helping one another and recently I played keyboards for him when he was a supporting act at Oliver Mtukudzi’s show at Gagasini in Durban,” Adams said.
The Chidzidzo singer said he was planning to promote his latest album Onai in Zimbabwe soon.
“I want to market the album here first before I come to Zimbabwe to do a series of shows to promote my new album. In the meantime, as The Two [myself and Nobuhle], we are doing live shows around South Africa to market our music,” he said.
“It seems people in South Africa have fallen in love with our music. We recently did a show as The Two at Umlazi and it was well-attended.”
His latest offering Onai carries songs such as Ngatichengetane, Kwatonhora, Jesu Ndizvo, Malibongwe, Marujata, Izwe Lami, Ungithandile and Shamwari Here.