We review
this week’s artist,Alick Macheso dubbed the king of sungura music most probably
because of his magnificent guitar skills. Macheso was born in 1968 in
Shamva, 90 kilometres to the north of Harare, to parents of Malawian origin - a
fact that was to inspire him to be able to speak and sing in five languages -
Shona, Chichewa, Sena, Venda and Lingala. Growing on a farm, especially before
Zimbabwe's Independence from Britain in 1980, the environment did not offer him
many opportunities. In 1983, at the youthful age of 15, he left the farm
compounds of Shamva to head for the dizzy lights of Harare
Macheso came
onto the scene in 1998, with his debut album Magariro. However,the album didn’t receive much
recognition, the following year he was to release Vakiridzo. Similarly, the
response was not too good and in the next year he released Simbaradzo.
Simbaradzo was the turning point is his career,the most noticeable songs were Mundikumbuke and Mai Rubhi, which remain national chants even to this date. He became a phenomenon that the music industry had been waiting for. Zvakanaka Zvakadaro, followed as his next album and it heavily confirmed his position as a guru in the Zimbabwean music industry.
Simbaradzo was the turning point is his career,the most noticeable songs were Mundikumbuke and Mai Rubhi, which remain national chants even to this date. He became a phenomenon that the music industry had been waiting for. Zvakanaka Zvakadaro, followed as his next album and it heavily confirmed his position as a guru in the Zimbabwean music industry.
The multi
taleneted macheso also was the pioneer of the dance commonly known as ‘mseve’.He
can dance, sing and play the guitar - a rare combination of skills among
musicians. He is an entertainer par-excellence. Besides such a pile of talent,
Macheso does his own song-writing.
Zvakanaka Zvakadaro was followed, in 2003, by Zvido Zvenyu Kunyanya, yet another confirmation that Macheso had not only arrived on the Zimbabwean music scene, but that he was determined to stay there for as long as possible. It is only a question of time before Macheso becomes the first Zimbabwean musician to sell a million copies of his music. And that should be very fitting for a musician of his stature.
more about Macheso can be found on his website www.alickmacheso.com
Zvakanaka Zvakadaro was followed, in 2003, by Zvido Zvenyu Kunyanya, yet another confirmation that Macheso had not only arrived on the Zimbabwean music scene, but that he was determined to stay there for as long as possible. It is only a question of time before Macheso becomes the first Zimbabwean musician to sell a million copies of his music. And that should be very fitting for a musician of his stature.
more about Macheso can be found on his website www.alickmacheso.com
Our review next week will be on one artist who really has changed the face of Zimbabwean
dancehall music,Winky D
?
ReplyDelete