A tale of two sisters ready for an Afro-jazz takeover

Standard Style
The decision by upcoming Afro-jazz songbirds Ephricah Munemo (26) and Savannah Nsompa (28) to combine their musical efforts to produce music under one banner, Savanfriq, is starting to pay off.
Vimbai Zimuto performs in Harare on Friday

By Kennedy Nyavaya

The decision by upcoming Afro-jazz songbirds Ephricah Munemo (26) and Savannah Nsompa (28) to combine their musical efforts to produce music under one banner, Savanfriq, is starting to pay off.

The duo, made up of cousins, is popular for their acoustic performances at different joints in Harare and has so far released three songs in addition to a ready, but yet to be officially launched album which was produced at Greywolves Studio.

In an interview with Standard Style, Munemo detailed the journey that they have endured since shelving their academic qualifications to pursue their dream in the arts.

“We started this [pursuing music] in Botswana, where we did our Law and Marketing degrees. At that time we were doing solo projects, but when we came back to Zimbabwe in August 2016 that’s when we found out that our voices blended well together and thus Savanfriq was born,” Munemo said.

“Our debut album, which contains eight tracks, is done and we want to thank Dr Marisa of Westview Clinic who put his helping hand during our recording period.”

Under the sisterhood pact they have, aside from their music, collaborated with Quality Mashasha on Magumo produced by Mabrothers Entertainment.

“We are in the process of working on an album with Mashasha and it will be sponsored by Mabrothers Entertainment,” said Munemo.

She added that their lyrics not only explore a variety of social themes inspired by observations of day-to-day living, but also possess traits from the late Chiwoniso Maraire and Oliver Mtukudzi’s genius in the art.

“Normally, we write our music through what we see or hear and we are inspired by anything happening around us, that is, the situation we will be in so you can trace our life stories since childhood,” Munemo said.

Although music has proven not to be a stable financial means of income, they have had to supplement by making beaded bags for sale.

“We love arts and music is a passion to us so we will work hard to achieve our goals because nothing is impossible as long as we put the efforts,” Munemo said.

Ultimately, Munemo says, they dream of being “powerful women through music” and helping the needy, open a school of music as well as “doing all we can to make the nation a better place”.