By Moses Mugugunyeki
Next Thursday marks the first anniversary of music icon Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi’s death and so much is in store to honour the legendary musician, who passed away last year at the age of 66 in Harare.
Tuku was declared a national hero and was interred at his rural home in Madziwa before a record crowd.
While there are a number of events planned to honour Tuku this week and days to come, it is his daughter Selmor’s (pictured right) album launch that stands out.
While Selmor could have been left outside the frosted glass of Tuku’s inheritance, on the music side it seems she has fitted well in her late father’s shoes.
Many perceive Selmor and her sister Sandra — daughters to Tuku’s first and former wife Melody Murape — to have been short-changed by their late father, but it looks as if the two sisters have benefited the lion’s share of the bequest — music.
On January 31, Selmor will launch her sixth album titled Dehwe Renzou at RM Garden Hall at the Exhibition Park (Harare Showgrounds) before flying to South Africa for another launch a week later.
The launch of the 11-track album, whose large chunk of production was done at continental music powerhouse Steve Dyer’s studio in South Africa, would be supported by sungura musician Alick Macheso.
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According to Selmor, Dehwe Renzou refers to the pelt taken from the elephant (Tuku’s totem), literally meaning the music diva is now the heiress to the Tuku throne.
“Whenever any animal is killed, people eat meat, offals and even trotters, but they are left with a hide that can be used for various purposes and can also evoke memories that they once had such an animal,” said Selmor while explaining the meaning of the album title.
Her publicist Reginald Chapfunga last week told Standard Style that the album was a dedication to the late music superstar.
“Selmor has gone through a lot since the passing of her father. During the year she has been putting her experiences and feelings into song. The album is a mixture of both new compositions and songs she wrote many years ago. It’s a very emotional album,” Chapfunga said.
“This is Selmor’s first album after the passing of her father and also her first as the heiress to the Oliver Mtukudzi music legacy.”
Chapfunga said more than R150 000 was used in the production and replication of CDs and he believes such an investment would not have gone to waste.
“This is also the first project Selmor has worked with renowned producer Steve Dyer. It is a unique, mature project compared to her previous releases,” he said.
Selmor features renowned South African musician Vusi Mahlasela on one of the songs on the album. Besides producing, Dyer adds his famous saxophone to some of the songs.
Former Black Spirits dancer and backing vocalist Piki Kasamba, bass guitarist Never Mpofu and drummer Sam Mataure, as well as Selmor’s husband Tendai Manatsa and Sandra, were part of the production team.
“Selmor has done everything that defines a good album. However, it’s the audiences that decide if it’s a hit or not. However, compared with her previous projects, this is a major breakthrough for Selmor Mtukudzi,” Chapfunga said.
“We are going to release a couple of videos of songs from the album and if all goes well, one of the videos will be released alongside the album on January 31.”
Chapfunga revealed that a number of promoters both locally and abroad were scrambling for the diva, who now serves as the ambassador for vehicle rental firm Impala Car Hire.
“This year looks promising for Selmor and the band. We are already receiving both international and local bookings with some stretching up to November,” he said.
Chapfunga attributed Selmor’s purple patch to the incorporation of her late father’s backing pair of Mpofu and Piki.
“Piki and Mbofu have provided the ship with the stability it really needed. They are mature musicians who worked with Oliver Mtukudzi for decades; you will feel the influence of each of these artistes on Dehwe ReNzou. Piki did the vocals and percussion, while Mpofu was on the bass guitar. Mataure played drums on some of the songs,” Chapfunga said.
He gave credit to Selmor’s husband Tendai Manatsa.
“He is a great musician in his own right. He is one of the best lead guitarists in Zimbabwe and has vast experience having worked with a number of artistes and groups, including Tanga WekwaSando, Afrika Revenge and Pax Afro, just to name a few. He has really assisted Selmor to refine her project,” Chapfunga said.
Prominent music promoter Josh Hozheri had been working with Selmor as the manager of the band since the death of Tuku, facilitating music shows in and around the country as well as corporate endorsements and promotions.
Last year Impala Car Hire, gifted Selmor with a vehicle, a move that was facilitated by Hozheri, who is a close associate of the car rental firm’s CEO Thompson Dondo.
