But musicians losing out revenue through heavy piracy
Many Zimbabwean musical groups, who have staged performances here, have attracted large crowds and have often left their fans yelling for more. These include Taruvinga, popularly known as Sugar Sugar and Manjokota and Leeroy or Kamusena.
According to a Mozambican music vendor, Vasco Manuere, Zimbabwes music has been finding its way on Mozambican markets, but sadly most of it is pirate music.
Many Zimbabwean musicians are losing out,” said Manuere.
Many musicians in Zimbabwe have registered grave concerns over piracy as they are losing a lot of revenue through sophisticated local and international syndicates.
Leonard “Karikoga” Zhakata has in the past called on governments of the two countries to join hands in curbing piracy.
Music piracy has become a cancer, he said. There is need to establish a regional piracy body so that we curb this problem. I think governments from the region should now work together. There should be deterrent measures against the perpetrators of piracy otherwise many musicians are now reluctant to release more new materials.
Alick Macheso, has also spoken strongly against piracy. It is cowardice. These are the people (music pirates) who are reaping where they did not sow It is painful that as musicians, we take a lot of time, effort and brains to come up with songs, but they just burn our music and sell it cheaply to the consumers prejudicing us. We think that something must be done as a matter of urgency to help us.
Nicholas Zacharia affectionately known as Madzibaba added: Piracy has now become sophisticated. They download our music from the Internet and put it on memory sticks. We are losing out a lot of revenue through this. I am aware that our music is doing well in foreign countries like Mozambique, but it is being pirated. We are in the process of putting mechanisms, with our record companies, to find ways of curbing piracy.”
However, Manuere said, a lot of Zimbabwean music was being played on various Mozambique radio stations, particularly sungura music. A lot was also being played at popular night spots and at parties.
“A lot of listeners have completely fallen in love with Zimbabwes sungura music, said Manuere who is based in Chimoio.”The Mozambicans seem to be in love with the museve music genre.”
Some of the songs by music stars such as Macheso, the late Leonard Dembo, Zacharia, Zhakata, Hosiah Chipanga, Ngwenya Brothers and the late John Chibadura have dominated radio stations here. However Macheso, Zacharia and the late Dembos music seem to have topped the list.
Maria Jangano, a presenter, at Radio Mozambique, confirmed that Macheso, arguably the best sungura musician in Zimbabwe, was one of the trendiest foreign artists in Mozambique.
Macheso commands a lot of following in this country and his music has been fashionable in music jamborees and households. Many listeners request his music a lot. In general Zimbabwes music is dominating the Mozambican airwaves at the moment, she said.
A musician and lecturer, Kid France, has formed a group called Ngoma Yekwedu, which plays reggae and sungura music from Zimbabwean artists and sings Zimbabwean copyrights in Shona.
Another factor that has resulted in a strong musical bond between the two countries is the fact that Zimbabwes radio stations can be tuned in by people staying along Zimbabwes Forbes Border Post and areas such as Machipanda, Manica and Chimoio.
On the other hand, Radio Mozambique, is clearly received in Zimbabwes eastern areas of Nyanga, Chipinge, Chimanimani and Mutare through the Short Wave.
Post published in: Music