Macheso’s 20-year music journey

Standard Style
Sungura ace Alick Macheso’s rise to the top didn’t come easy. From being raised by a single parent to a thriving yet draining music career, his has been a rollercoaster journey and two decades into the industry, he caps his life story with a triple celebration pencilled for June 8 at the Aquatic Complex in Chitungwiza, the place where he cut his music teeth.

Sungura ace Alick Macheso’s rise to the top didn’t come easy. From being raised by a single parent to a thriving yet draining music career, his has been a rollercoaster journey and two decades into the industry, he caps his life story with a triple celebration pencilled for June 8 at the Aquatic Complex in Chitungwiza, the place where he cut his music teeth.

By Takemore Mazuruse

The hyped event will see the sungura virtuoso launching his 10th album, marking a good two decades in the industry and celebrating his 50th birthday.

Jah Prayzah, Leonard Zhakata, Sniper Storm and Faheem Somanje complete the line-up of performers on the day.

“June 8 is a big milestone for me and the Orchestra Mberikwazvo brand, which I started in 1998,” Macheso told The Standard Style.

“Truth be told, it has not been an easy journey and when I reflect on it I see God’s grace because the challenges were too many. What I have become is not necessarily a reflection of my circumstances, but the decisions that I made in the face of adversity.”

The Charakupa hit maker said his music was a reflection of the various stages that he went through in his journey to self-actualisation.

“When people see the accomplished musician that I have become, it’s tempting to think I had it easy, but the struggles and setbacks were too much and in some instances, insurmountable. “Growing up without a father is not easy, but I am grateful to my mother and her family for the support that laid the foundation to the man I have become,” he said.

Macheso revealed that even before he started strumming the guitar professionally, music had always flowed in his veins and he would always run into trouble with his grandmother when he played his makeshift guitars at a time music was considered a trade for those without a sense of direction in life.

“My grandmother would always beat me up each time I played my makeshift guitar. Magitare ainzi ndeemarombe [Guitars were regarded as for loafers] and it never dawned on her that I was going to sustain my life and that of others through music. Before my grandmother passed on a few years ago, I would always smile seeing her dancing or nodding to my music,” he said.

True to that assertion, Macheso sang a song that alludes to earlier disdain for his trade by family members yet he went on to become a professional musician sustaining his family through the art.

Macheso reckons his dancing skills as a small boy would earn him a few dollars and he fondly recounts an incident when he almost ran into trouble with his mother, but the “loot” from his escapade saved him.

“I was walking with my mum from the Harare central business district to Mbare and I heard some popular music playing. I then moved closer to where the sound was playing and started dancing losing my mum in the process. It was only when she had gone some distance that she noticed that I was no longer in the vicinity,” the sungura crooner said.

“She had to walk back and to her surprise, I was dancing surrounded by a huge crowd that were taking turns to throw money at me. She then whisked me away telling me how much of trouble I was to her, but, of course, we had made some money and we happily bought some refreshments as we proceeded to Mbare on foot.”

Talent makes a place for you on even bigger stages and it goes without saying that Macheso was to later become a cog in the Khiama Boys outfit in the 1990s with hit songs such as Mabvi Nemagokora bearing his signature voice and trademark bass guitar.

“Even during our days at Khiama Boys, we had our own struggles early on. I remember we would go on tour for close to a month playing at farms and some outlying areas.

Some of the amounts people would pay then were paltry, but faith and focus kept us going. Pamwe munhu aitobhadhara susupenzi kupinda mushow asi taiziva kwataive takananga [Sometimes fans would pay as little as five cents for a show, but we wouldn’t mind because we were focused],” Macheso said.

Being the rare music find that he is, Macheso went on to form his own Orchestra Mberikwazvo outfit, a breakaway from the much-loved Khiama Boys and the rest is history. The hits came and every album had its unique aura to the satisfaction of followers.

Then came his problems with members deserting him and some marital and other domestic troubles that threatened to destroy his career, but Macheso says it was all for a reason.

“What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. I learnt my lessons from all that and I believe Zimbabwe and the world is yet to see the best of me. “The new album will make some clarification on my career intents and I want the entire Zimbabwe to come and experience that,” he said.

As the versatile musician, a great composer, choreographer and guitar player of note, descends on the Aquatic Complex on June 8, the entire Zimbabwe will be high on expectation.

His last offering Tsoka Dzerwendo though widely accepted had its shortcomings, which Macheso accedes to and he promises to have addressed those in the new album titled Dzinosvitsa Kure.

“Yes, Tsoka Dzerwendo was widely accepted seeing it came after a dry spell where fans were beginning to doubt my pedigree, but I believe Dzinosvitsa Kure is a notch higher and it will silence critics. We have tried to address the fans’ reservations on backing vocalists and this time I am laying all the vocals myself,” he said.

It seems good times are rolling again for the sungura king seeing the number of corporates that are laying a hand to his triple celebration event and his manager Lucky Macheso reckons it’s all systems out on June 8.

“We are grateful to brands like KitchenLink, Star FM, Zimbabwe Red Cross Society, Sam’s Limo Services and Gardens, Takzone Tankers and Legends Sports Diner Promotions for their support towards the event,” said Lucky.

“It’s exciting times indeed and some of these brands are even offering long-term endorsement deals, something we value moving into the future. We are set for June 8 and we promise music lovers nothing but the best.”

On the titles to the songs and other details about the event, Macheso’s publicist Tich Makahamadze said they would be organising a press conference in the coming few days.

“There will be a press conference to share finer details about the triple celebration and the brands behind the event have all confirmed their support. A tour around the city and the greater Chitungwiza promoting the event will also be held,” he said.