Entertainment

Female musicians speak on sexual exploitation

Kikky Badass

Kundai Marunya Arts Correspondent

It has proven hard for female musicians to get a major breakthrough without a bit of controversy.

For Vimbai Zimuto, it was her nude art that grabbed the country’s attention even though she had spent years producing good music.

Musician Pauline Gundidza was recently in court alleging that prominent theatre practitioner Tafadzwa Muzondo had molested her.

Kikky BadAss earned her mark with a bit of raunchy dancing on stage and posting revealing and sexually suggestive images on social media.

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With the massive attention then comes promoters, producers and even radio show hosts who ask for sexual favours to push ahead one’s brand.

Zimuto has confessed to having been pestered for sex by even the prominent people in the country.

“You will be surprised at how many men come to my Facebook inbox pestering me for sex, some even offering to pay large amounts of money,” she said.

Vimbai Zimuto

Kikky BadAss also confesses to having been asked for sexual favours.

“I was indirectly told that to get on top I had to offer sexual favours,” she said.

Rising female rapper Dianah Munhuweyi a.k.a Dianah Annah said it is hard to breakthrough in a male dominated genre.

“It’s hard for us female rappers in a male dominated industry because people look more at how you look and dress than your music,” she said.

“Then there are those who want to first have sex with you before they can push your brand. We need professionals working with us not sex mongers who are always after exploiting women.”

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Dianah Annah

Dianah Annah has been in the music industry for close to a year, a time during which she released four songs that hit local airwaves.

She however finds it hard to get performance space.

“More opportunities should also be given to female musicians as much as they are given to males,” she said.

Kikky BadAss said there was need to educate society as the problem was widespread.

“I do not know how we can get rid of this in our industry since we live in patriarchal society. We can however minimize this by teaching the younger generations how they should respect women, changing their perception on women,” she said.

HERALD