Mwendamberi, tiise maoko — makadii Wagwizi? (Mwendamberi, greetings first. How are you?)
Renowned Kenyan writer, the late Ngugi wa Thiong’o, in his influential essay collection Decolonising the Mind, observes that “language, any language, has a dual character: it is both a means of communication and a carrier of culture.”
The same can be said of music, Mwendamberi.
Music has always been a powerful carrier of culture, identity, and memory.
Through your work, you continue to sing proudly in our mother tongue, preserving tradition and telling stories deeply rooted in our communities. That commitment deserves recognition.
Music knows no race, no tribe, and no borders. It serves as a universal language that unites people across cultures and continents.
Since 2013, you have done an exceptional job collaborating with artists from East, West, and southern Africa.
These include Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania), Nigerian-American singer David Adedeji Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, Yemi Alade (Nigeria), Tiwa Savage (Nigeria), Sauti Sol (Kenya), Fally Ipupa (Democratic Republic of Congo), and Patrick Okorie, better known as Patoranking (Nigeria), among many others.
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Without doubt, you stand as a modern-era king of Zimbabwean music.
Yet, Jah, you may be underrating your own impact.
You rank among the top five Zimbabwean musicians with the most regional and international collaborations.
The other four are the late superstar Oliver Mtukudzi, who tops the list; Chimurenga maestro Thomas Mapfumo, who follows closely; the late Chiwoniso Maraire, in fourth position; and, and on number five there is none other than Wallace Chirumiko, professionally known as Winky D.
Mtukudzi leads the list due to his ability to collaborate across continents — Africa, Europe, and the United States — spanning genres such as jazz and Afro-folk.
He worked with global legends including Hugh Masekela, Salif Keita, and Bonnie Raitt, and featured prominently in international festivals, compilations, and cross-cultural projects.
You occupy the second position owing to your extensive high-profile African collaborations in the digital era — unmatched by any other Zimbabwean artist of your time.
Mapfumo comes third, having worked with international jazz and politically conscious artists across the USA, Africa, and Europe, albeit with fewer mainstream collaborations.
Maraire, in fourth place, collaborated widely within world-music and academic circles, working with mbira ensembles and international musicians across Africa, Europe, and the United States.
Though she recorded fewer commercial hits, her global artistic influence was profound.
Winky D completes the list in fifth position, having collaborated with artists from South Africa, Jamaica, and Tanzania.
These collaborations were never an end in themselves, but rather a means to an end — allowing you to tap into new audiences and expand your fan base by engaging the followers of those you collaborated with.
Mwendamberi, in today’s globalised digital space, language can also become a barrier.
It is concerning that you continue to release high-quality music without subtitles. Why, Jah?
Subtitles do not dilute culture; they translate it. A song sung in Shona, Ndebele, or any indigenous language can be deeply moving, yet its full meaning may be lost on listeners unfamiliar with the language.
Subtitles enable audiences to engage not only with the melody, but also with the message, metaphors, and values embedded in the lyrics.
Diamond Platnumz primarily sings in Swahili, yet songs such as Zuwena, Yatapita, and I Miss You include subtitles.
This allows non-Swahili speakers to enjoy the music while also understanding its meaning.
I can imagine the reach that Ruzhowa, Dangerous, Donhodzo, Ibvo could have made if subtitles were included.
In the digital age — with platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, X, and streaming services — subtitles are no longer a luxury but a strategic necessity.
Content that includes subtitles attracts longer viewing times and higher engagement, increasing its visibility to global audiences.
Subtitles also serve an important cultural function. Young generation both in the diaspora or urban spaces understand their mother tongue imperfectly.
By providing subtitles, you bridge generational gaps, keeping indigenous languages alive while making them accessible.
Importantly, subtitles promote inclusion.
They allow deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences to experience music meaningfully and enable engagement even when sound is unavailable.
This aligns music with broader principles of accessibility and equality.
The future of indigenous music does not lie in abandoning local languages for global ones. It lies in singing in Shona — or any other indigenous language — while communicating with the world.
Wagwizi, subtitles empower you and other musicians to remain authentic while ensuring that your voice travel beyond linguistic borders.
—Moses Chibaya - Toronto, Canada
