…I’m only doing music for fun
…I won’t get carried away
LAST year, milestones and new records were set in music, thanks to the exploits of upcoming and seasoned artistes.
One such popular end of year show, 2019 Radio Zimbabwe Coca Cola Top 50, is known for producing shocks, crowning the best as well as rewarding the people’s favourites.
Music promoter and lawyer-turned musician, Panganayi Hare, is one such artistes who made it into the top three of the charts as he pipped seasoned artistes.
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Better known as Mukoma Panga, the 48-year-old is the new sungura game-changer.
Buoyed with a single but yet well-knit album, Mukoma Panga’s chart-topping song Panganayi (off his debut album Mbuva Yehwiza) settled for the third position which comes with financial rewards.
H-Metro Assistant News Editor (Entertainment) Trust Khosa (TK) spoke to Mukoma Panga (MP) who opened up on his triumph, future plans and the path he has travelled as a musician. Read on…
TK: How does it feel making it into the Top 3 of the 2019 Radio Zimbabwe Coca Cola Top 50 end of year the show?
MP: Well, it feels very good to have made it to the top three.
I am on top of the world and l feel motivated and rejuvenated to come up with another project which will possibly eclipse Mbuva YeHwiza which is my debut album.
TK: What does this victory mean and what’s the way forward?
MP: This victory is the panacea l needed to jumpstart my music career. Manje so takutopinda mu travelling gear engine ichitotinhira sedzimwe engine tichitokwidza tese makata magitare achirira.
Let the music play. The victory did not come as much as a surprise though given the personnel l worked with.
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TK: Who contributed to this album and what’s the name of your group?
MP: The name of the group, Super Crew, says it all, mukakazve.
I had Spencer Khumulani and Takauya Karikodzi better known as Musamariya alternating on bass guitar, Innocent Mjintu on rhythm guitar, Matthew Perego on lead guitar, Obert Gomba and Prince Katsama on drums.
The likeable Shiga Shiga was chanting with Musaope Nkoma and Ethel Musonza provided backing vocals.
Show me a more talented outfit in Zimbabwe at the moment. This is a frightening gathering of talent in one group and all kudos to the team.
My producers on the album were Bothwell Nyamhondera and Jabulani Ndlovu, ndomadhara akabata sungura iwaya and they are behind most if not all the sungura hits in the country so there was no way Mbuva YeHwiza was going to be a half-baked project.
Victory was certain and it was guaranteed the day the album was released.
The only surprise was how it was number three and not number one but congratulations to my young brothers John Munodawafa and Tapiwa Freddy. They did very well and they made the competition sweet.
When all is said and done we are one in the industry and we must speak with one voicemail for the development of the industry.
TK: How do you feel making history as you made it into the top three with your first album?
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MP: It is very pleasing that my debut album has made history in the highly acclaimed Radio Zimbabwe Coca Cola Top 50 by shooting straight to number three.
It’s not very surprising though given the investment we put in the project and the marketing strategies we employed.
TK: How long did you take working on Mbuva Yehwiza?
MP: I took a long time working on Mbuva YeHwiza.
The songs were written 10 years ago and were only recorded last year but we took our time in the studio.
We would record and re-record. We probably recorded and re-recorded five times kusvika ndazogutsikana.
My team had patience and remember each recording session was paid for.
Perfection is the name of the game. I don’t believe in giving people a half backed project.
TK: How did you solicit/mobilise fans for votes?
MP: The moment people heard our music on radio they fell in love with it and they started phoning me.
We then formed a Mukoma Panga Fan Club and the members there started mobilising themselves to vote.
And they were voting week in and week out and we were hardly out of the top three.
For the record we debuted the Top 20 charts at number seven and the following week we were on pole position and ndopakabva patanga mahwani ese ipapo.
The Mukoma Panga fans started sensing victory and we were hardly out of the top three for the whole year.
I love all the Mukoma Panga Fan Club and true voters.
This victory is for you. Let’s go for gold with the next project.
Even the end of the voting my church members AFM Philadelphia parish was voting me.
Other musicians like my good sister Mai Patai was voting for me and she mobilsed some voters as well. I thank her. Kugara zvakanaka nevamwe made it easy to mobilise voters
TK: What’s your piece of advice to some of the artistes who did not make it into the Top 10?
MP: Those who didn’t make it in the top 10 please don’t give up. Continue working hard and persevere.
Sango rinopa waneta but usangonetezve womirira kuti sango richakupa wakagara pamumvuri uchitura befu rekuneta.
Produce quality music. Work with experts and employ modern day marketing strategies.
Mobilise your fans to vote for your music and teach them how to vote. Invest in your music and one day you will reap.
Associate with the right people in the industry and bvuma kudzidziswa. Don’t be big headed and avoid drugs.
TK: When can you expect your second album?
MP: We can’t promise but it’s definitely coming.
TK: What do you have in place as part of your social responsibility?
MP: We have been helping orphans and fellow artistes who are struggling to make ends meet.
I realised that as artistes we need to help each other before we take our begging bowls somewhere.
TK: What’s your fallback? Are you into music for money or just as a hobby?
MP: I’m a lawyer and farmer. Music is just a hobby and not a source of livelihood.
I’m gainfully employed.
TK: Who inspires you in every aspect of life?
MP: My biggest inspiration is Mopao Alick Macheso.
I have known Alick since 1997. That guy is talented and is a hard worker. He is a family man.
His music besides being entertaining is very educative.
I can sing most if not all his songs word for word pamwe kutochinja kuisa ma words angu.
I have seen Alick Macheso at work both mu studio recording nepa stage. To me he is the sungura godfather. Haisi nyore kuimba, kutamba apa uchikwenya bass guitar.
He is a down to earth character, very humble uye munhu uya who believes mudzidziso ye Bible yekuti blessed is the hand that giveth and not the one that taketh. That man is a giver and that’s why he is blessed. Muchifamba mese so anogona kungomisa mota otobatsira a street kid from nowhere!
I have learnt a lot from him kuti never give up in life. Pick up the pieces and fight.
TK: Any special people you would like to thank.
MP: I would like to thank all my band members (names above), my producers Bothwell Nyamhondera and Jabulani Ndlovu, media, fans and the family.
TK: Thanks for the interview.
MP: You are welcome.
– HMETRO
