By Kennedy Nyavaya
When Monalisa Kapofu unleashed her angelic vocal notes into the microphone, triggering a rapturous reaction from the crowd that packed the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC) last week on Saturday, it became almost certain she would be crowned Dream Star royalty on the night.
The 25-year-old Bulawayo songbird’s final performance fusing Roki’s Chidzoka, Juntal’s Mutupo and Pax Afro’s Let it Play dazzled many.
But, all was not so plain to Kapofu, who had racing thoughts of uncertainty during the three-minute final round shot.
“I would sometimes think of winning, but there is so much talent out there, you can never be that confident, so I am actually surprised,” Kapofu told Standard Style after she was named the champion last Saturday.
Indeed, what were the odds of a woman to break the jinx of male-dominance on a night where talent was the common denominator among the 17 contestants that took to the gigantic HICC stage?
Added to the Music and Musicology graduate’s dread was reminiscence of the past three years she has been struggling with her vocals.
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“What makes me really happy is that I suffered a haemorrhage for the past three years whereby my vocal folds were inflamed, so winning this to me is actually validating that I still got the voice,” she revealed.
Having made history by becoming the first woman to win the title, Kapofu had advice for other female artistes dreaming of similar achievements.
“I would say an artiste is an artiste, you just have to deliver, it’s just that our society oppresses the female musician, but once you put your senses to something and say I can do it, I believe you can,” she said.
With a cool ZWL$30 000 in the bank, she is more determined to get into the studio and start a career.
“Recording was always part of the plan, but I never had the motivation to do it. Now that I have a contract awaiting me, I guess it is time to start it,” she said.
