FORGOTTEN sungura musician Musekiwa Zanove says he is set to reclaim his status in the music industry by releasing a “hot” album this year. Speaking to The Standard Style last Wednesday, Zanove (46), who fronts Zhekezheke Express, said he was working on an album that will have different sungura dynamics.
BY CLAYTON MASEKESA
“There is need to be different from the usual sungura music. There are many different styles that we are introducing in the genre that I think will keep sungura music as the number one genre in the country,” he said.
The gifted guitarist and vocalist last recorded an album titled Hodzeko in 2015.
“All these years I was perfecting the sungura beat. So, I am hopeful that my new release at the end of the year will appeal to the sungura lovers,” he said
Zanove has seven albums under his belt.
He said it was sad that most of the current crop of sungura musicians are copycats who bring monotony to the well-liked sound.
“Sungura is the most popular music genre in the country. But, now it seems that there are too many copycats. The young musicians nowadays sing and play the same beat. They are all copying Macheso [Alick],” he said.
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“Most of them play the same bass line and it becomes monotonous. The young musicians are talented yes, but, they now need to evaluate and be innovative. I want to urge the upcoming musicians to work hard and come up with their own sungura music that they are identified with.” Zanove, is well-known for plug tracks such as Gutsikana Nezvaunazvo and Anesu from his previous albums that dominated local radio stations Radio 2 now Radio Zimbabwe years back.
Like many, Zanove started singing in the school choir at an early age.
In the mainstream music industry, he first worked with veteran Tinei Chikupo and Sungura Boys as a backing vocalist. The 1990s was his turning point when he became the lead vocalist at Sungura Boys after replacing System Tazvida who had gone solo.
He did not stay long at the Sungura Boys as he joined the Khiama Boys.
“It was not easy at all at Khiama Boys because there was no chance for me to sing. I was just a runner responsible for putting up posters,” Zanove said.
After failing to get the chance to perform at Khiama Boys, Zanove decided to take the bull by its horns and formed his own group, Zhekezheke Express, in 1996.
He recorded his first album Nhungamidzo in 1996. And as fate would have it, the track Gutsikana Nezvaunazvo became a hit.
“The success of the first album gave us the confidence and we never looked back. We practiced seriously and recorded the second album titled Anesu. to our surprise, it surpassed the previous album,” he said.
From there on Zanove never put his foot off the pedal as he released more successful albums that included Panashe (2001), Makanaka (2002) Nhamo neNhamo (2005) and Vandudzo (2007)
In 2008 disaster struck when he was involved in an accident while coming from a show in Banket.
The musician said he was now back on his feet again and he is looking forward to make an impact again in the highly competitive music arena.
