Finto Marketing

The 22nd of  December is known for the Unity Accord that was signed in 1987 by our great political leaders both late, Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe who led ZAPU PF and ZANU PF respectively. Ever since it has been celebrated as a public holiday. The Unity Day coincided with KOBIRI The Protest Musician’s birthday. Fred Farai Nyakudanga FFF caught up with Kobiri while celebrating. FFF : What is your burning desire about the situation Zimbabweans are going through now? Kobiri : It is my Prayer that the situation back home returns to normal, my heart melts every time I follow what’s going on back home, it's tough and the situation is worsening. FFF : As a musician yourself what measures have you taken to help your fellow countrymen? Kobiri : As a Musician and an Entrepreneur, I have tried to call upon my fellow artists who are influential to use their louder voices to raise the plight of the masses for consideration with authorities. I have also on record times advised fellow artists t...

  The invention of the mobile phone seem to be the last convenience the world has been granted. It is portable and mobile. I can’t imagine any other gadget that will overtake the cellphone in the near future. A single mobile phone has a watch, dictionary, bible, typewriter, calendar, social media access, entertainment banking services and many other services.  The mobile phone has become a media tool for reaching out worldwide through internet backed social media, but it also has advanced cultural exchange through high quality images and music. It has become very easy to share music, images, information and sending money through the phone. I am really excited at how our African people have taken advantage also to identify themselves through the platforms and applications found on smart phones. Not so long back we were compelled to to English ringtones they were the only ones available and fixed in our mobile phones. The Indians and the Chinese also took the chance later on to ...

Review of Ndangwara Album by Fred Farai Nyakudanga FFF The jungle kind of distribution patterns in the music industry is depicting some musicians micro. Due to the unprofessional and uneven distribution the market push and pull effects have been seriously affected. It is now the amount of how a musician pushes that is now key.  Music collectors are unlike, they want control of what they listen to and they shop around reading lyrics and the history of musicians on sleeves. I remember seeing music collectors long ago in shops like Spin Along and Ok Record Bars. The collectors right now are deprived of that choice, there aren’t any record bars anymore so they have become a redundant market. Each musician is now his/her own record bar. So there is a dormant rich market that is not participating at all to any music development because they lack the freedom to choose. Music that is playing these days is the choice of the pusher not the collector. Being a top musician is not related to ta...

  Carlton released a well arranged music single Harare in January this year 2021. The song is a masterpiece that has been on my playlist ever since. The single prompted me to dig into his past because it has all ingredients that proves there is a well groomed musician behind. After listening to different releases by seasoned musicians I am wondering why he isn’t on top too. The art behind relating Harare in the song he called Harare is exciting. Carlton sings about how Harare gets you carried away, there are beautiful girls who demand real pleasure. If you are not careful you will forget your core responsibilities and chase after them without sleeping “ haurare ”. He sings, let your friend or cousin enjoy soon or later he will know it’s Harare.  As early as he was doing form two in 1999 the inborn talented Carlton Muparutsa was already performing on stage. Carlton Muparutsa comes from the music dynastic family of Muparutsas of Manicaland. Music is in his veins. When he was g...

Claude B is a budding Afro fusion musician who drew inspiration from the music and rise of the late Legendary Dr Oliver Mtukudzi. Claude B’s latest release Zviriko is a close revelation of his admiration of the late Katekwe singer Zviriko is a song Claude B is ascertaining existence of those things people believe are beyond reach that it’s worth giving a try. He sings relating the beauty of a woman to the unbelievable mermaid. The song has a very tasty traditional feel that convince Claude B is destined for a comfortable place at the top. Reliance on computer generated beats is killing our young musicians' creativity, but Claude is in the right track. Better his uncle taught him how to play the guitar when he was in Mhondoro learning motor mechanics. Claude B further got some experience when he played at church, this led Claude B to form his own band, The Black Pearl in 2013. There after Claude B has done several songs and some videos to enhance his attractiveness in the cut throat...

  Kure Kwemoyo. Today I am reviewing Kure  Kwemoyo a single by Sluckmaster born Farai Chauke. The single is coming out on Friday 17 September 2021. Sluckmasta is a multi talented artist who has a speciality in graphic designing. He started singing when he used to mimic Leonard Dembo, Simon Chimbetu and Leonard Zhakata’s songs while still in grade one.  Sluckmasta joined Zaoga Braeside Praise and Worship where he interacted with the late Jacky Madondo who was also part of the praise and worship team. Jacky had a short and successful music career that was cut short due to her passing on while she was still young. Sluckmaster believes the skills he tapped together with Jacky are good enough to take him to success too.  Kure Kwemoyo is a deep promise by a lover that his love is beyond imagination. The emotion of the song is true to the meaning of the song Kure Kwemoyo. The beat on the song is an intelligent fusion of our Jiti music and some West African beats. The song w...

Many people separate and divorce from working together as well. I am talking from experience and I really know the antagonism between divorcees that lasts forever. Our courts are inundated with divorce cases of people who never want to see each other again. Divorcees cut communication and ties such that it’s rare to see them working together. Roki and Pauline didn’t act like many of us who separate and divorce from doing meaningful business together. In the single Shine Like A Star the two collaborate so well in the ballad that should work as a reminder to ex lovers that there are other things you can still achieve together. Roki who still is basking in the glory of his collaboration Patati Patata with the DRC star Koffi Olomide did not find it difficult to torch the mother of his children’s career too. Pauline has been moving stealthily with her solo career away from the famous Mafriq. The song is a rare one from Oskid the Tryson Chimbetu Hayisati Yapinda hit maker. You will never und...

  Ammi Jamanda has been keeping this song Gata Rinoshura Materu for more than 2 years in her song books if I remember very well. I will not go too much into this since the song is now available. The demand by music fans is the need to attach the melodies into their lives. Ammi has made it possible to her legion of fans who have always supported her each time she plays with her band. Ammi joined the competitive live club circuit at a very young age but she soldiered on without much attention from important stakeholders. Her previous album faired well though the poor music distribution channels in our country failed her to reach out to the whole country. Music distribution is very important to upcoming musicians as this makes them known. The radio usually plays already popular tunes and this affects the new entries because few requests affect routine airplay. Gata Rinoshura Materu is a song that urges people to persevere in difficult situations as they say the darkest hour is before ...

1. Kusvipatsanura ( Branding)   Unofanirwa kuzvipatsanura kuti vatereri vagone kukuziva pachako wega nemaitiro ako wega. Unogona kuzikanwa semuimbi anoyimba kushungurudzika kwevarume. Vese varume vanoshungurudzika vachanzwa kufara pese paunoimba. Uyewo nevaya vane hama irikushungurudzwa vachafarirawo mimhanzi yako nekuti vanofunga hama iya inoshungurudzika.  Humhizha (Creativity)  Kuimba kwako kunofanirwa kurakidza hudzamu uye humhizha hwako wega. Munhu akanzwa mhanzi yako haafanirwe kuyifananidza neyevamwe uye yawakamboridza. Kune vamwe vanoimba vachitedzerera vamwe vaimbi, hauzomborega kugara wakayenzwaniswa neuya waunotedzera  Zvido Zvevanhu ( Satisfy Needs ) Basa remuimbi kufadza vanhu ndiko kuti uwane vanotenga. Panotori netsvakurudzo dzaunofanira kuita kuti vanhu varikudeyi mazuva ano. Pane chimbo chakapedza makore andinofungira kuita kunge Mana 4 chichitambwa. Chaive chimbo chava Patrick Mukwamba chinonzi Bonus. Kareko vanhu vayishanda mu industry nemumabasa ...

Elder LK, born Lovemore Karumazondo started playing music from makeshift guitars when he was 9 years old. This did not go down well with his mother who never entertained him at all. It became a cat and mouse affair. She destroyed his banjo guitars that he made from empty Cooking oil tins. This marked a thorny career for Elder LK. He started of as a band manager for Ngosimbi Crew that was now being led by Clever Musaengane and Master Kasenga the son of the late. Admire kasenga. After he had booked the band for a New Year’s Eve show at Makotore in Marondera. Their rhythmist failed to turn up from his rural area due to a flooded river that made it impossible to cross for him to make it to the show. Elder LK as a proactive manager hired a session musician to replace their rhythmist. The replacement failed to live up to the billing and this forced Elder LK to jump on stage to play. He had never played on stage before, but he used to practice on his own since he started this whe he was young...

  Chenjerai Maviki popularly known as Shuramurove has an interesting description of how peculiar his journey was. When he thought his discovery had come through by signing with Gramma Records is the time operations became a challenge due to change of ownership.  Shuramurove grew to become a singer back in the Town of Mhangura through his mother who was an ardent Salvation Army member. Before every night rest she led him in song and prayer. This developed singing techniques in Shuramurove. Also back then Mhangura was lively. The mine was still functioning and the authorities bankrolled their workers and families’ entertainment. Shuramurove attended some of the shows. Oliver Mtukudzi, Thomas Mapfumo, L Dembo, Safiriyo Madzikatire and Jairos Jiri are some of the bands that were routinely hired to entertain the Mine population of Mhangura. This inspired Shuramurove a lot. In 1987 Shuramurove met Admire Kasenga who together with other domestic gardeners practiced as a makeshift ban...

Fred Farai Nyakudanga aka FFF wrote Basa Rapera in 2015 after he had been offloaded from his job at a very popular NGO. The charge against him was so flimsy but he went on to lose his job, fate had already been decided.  FFF found this hard to accept, due to some pending social issues emanating from a divorce that left him depressed. In the two years he had spend at PSI he had managed to recover. How he was going to cope without a professional income ate his heart out to the extent of penning Basa Rapera. Fred started Angwa Combo in 2014 together with Julius Julius, together they recorded Ngativimbike with Diamond Studios. FFF started as a composer with Julius Julius on lead vocals. Basa Rapera was FFF's first studio recording ever since he had founded Angwa Combo. Enjoy the song from FFF’s archives.  https://youtu.be/S6kLU8xyHjg

  Gushungo was inspired by earlier music Jah Prayzer and Andy Muridzo played. The likes of Goto and Tsotsa from Jah Prayzer and Andy Muridzo respectively. Gushungo insists these songs resonated well with our Zimbabwean tradition, and he went further to state how important they helped the cognition of our own environment before the rest of the world. Gushungo asserted that he is not chasing fame because it will serve him alone, unlike many of his counterparts who have opted for trending beats on the international scene. His wish Gushungo is to serve the people of Zimbabwe. Gushungo reminded me that our traditional music is useful for meditation besides the rich entertainment in it too. So he would rather mend souls unlike having songs that top charts for his own glory. The world music market has seen the rise of copycats who want to capitalise on already set audiences. The likes of Bob Marley, Lucky Dube were shrewd with their sound and they led music lovers worldwide to follow thei...

The religious proverb, charity begins at home seems a mere talk that has no influence in your life. The statement actually reveals itself in your life. What starts from home follows you to the market. Some you learn, practice or they name it for you. A fat bull at the market ate enough in its paddock. So the things that come true in your life started from home.  The saying points frankly to the impact of parenting on you, how you were raised concerns how you end up conducting yourself and interacting with others. How other people regard you does not only depend on their opinion but how you have been tainted back home.  I once worked as a restaurant manager in Harare. The major health concerns of a restaurant are it’s toilet and the kitchen. So the same effort you put in maintaining hygiene in the kitchen is the same you put in the toilet. So I noticed that people handle the toilet differently. Some would want to leave the toilet as desirable as they found it, while others thin...

Christian Kruz Kagona the son of the founder of Bundu Boys, Rise Kagona has released a song Ndakakuudza. Kruz took advantage of the Seminar where the International Legend Robert Kool Bell gave a lecture about International opportunities. The seminar was hosted by Diamond Studios. Surely it runs in the veins Kruz recently was signed by Diamond Studios. According to Mr Munyanyi the Director of Diamond Studios Kruz is going to benefit from the partnership between the American Legend Robert Kool Bell and Diamond Studios whose goal is to develop local talent for international touring. It’s very true that Kruz is following in the footsteps of his father Rise Kagona who together with Bundu boys toured the world.  Ambassador Mutsvangwa reiterated the same when he officiated at the event held at Diamond Studios base in Marlborough. Kruz had a privilege to perform before the American Legend. His sweet melodies coupled by an angelic voice left the audience in awe. Kruz shared the stage with D...

Lack of resources usually delay completion of projects it inconveniences a lot. Amadhuve Sasha and her management team suffered such a setback on the release of Machinda a song that was inspired by a dream Amadhuve Sasha was walking through dead bodies in a scary forest. This song could have hit the market around September 2019 well before the Covid 19 pandemic. The delay appear a blessing as the song predicted what is happening now. Listening to the song prompted me to get hold of Amadhuve Sasha to find out if the song had any relationship to the current pandemic. She narrated to me the above. When she composed the song Covid 19 was not yet in existence and life was very normal then. But today we are expected to stay indoors and forsake our work on the pretext of safety.  In shona Sango/Forest is related to daily hustles, the fact that we go out to meet challenges with the expectation of winning is what is referred to as sango. During the ancient eras the livelihood of man was sus...

  Dorcas Moyo was in more than 12 top 50 music charts at the end of year she scooped number 1 position in three of them, Diamond FM, YAFM and Radio 54 of UK. I will testify even in our own charts Ndeipi Hot 10 Dorcas received votes of not less than 300 every week. Dorcas Moyo besides competing with her fellow gospel artists she did well in charts usually dominated by secular musicians.  Dorcas Moyo is a humble Gospel Artist who was born 40 yrs ago in Goromonzi. She is married and a devoted Christian and committed mother. Besides music Dorcas run a nutrition kitchen at a local hospital. She is a nutritionist by profession. With all this in her plate I was eager how she manages to hype her music while many musicians are complaining lack of airplay. Dorcas had this to say. “We have a good number of fan groups with effective administration.  I believe the administration team worked hard in motivating fans to vote and we also do not dismiss effort and hard work l put in the mu...

  Press Release Simbiso Chimbetete popularly called Ceemby is releasing a song on 9 January 2021, Healing In Your Name Isiah 53 Vs 5. Ceemby is currently based in Cyprus. The song was inspired by the Holy Spirit through Apostle Alex and Prophet Jay. It is a song for everyone because it talks about the Healing Power of God. The song is coming also in the midst of the world pandemic being caused by Covid 19. Ceemby insists no matter what, healing is found in the name of Jesus Christ. The song urges fans and the entire world population to focus on Jesus Christ for total healing The launch is going to be screened live on NY Television Facebook page. The song is going to be available on Deezer, YouTube, Spotify and iTunes.  Ceemby says she is committed to Zimbabwe where her interests are. Opportunities arising she will fulfil her dreams in Zimbabwe. Her appreciation is extended to Tinashe Mutandwa, Ngozika Nwachukwu and Rhema Okoro for making this project real

  I know you are curious to understand where this is coming from. Networking With Fred is a group that was established by musicians through Fred FFF to help each other to grow. The Zimbabwean market needs to be linked and at the same time you need knowledge and learn from the experiences of others to make it. So we have come up with our list of the most enterprising musicians on the group judging by their application of what we impart to each other. 5. Doubles Wekwa Marange Doubles is known on WhatsApp circles for his marketing efforts. He makes sure he has on point graphics. His branding is so visible. End of 2020 around November Doubles dropped a fitting album Kenani that has the popular Jata song which means leave, divorce disregard people who do not add value to your life. On top of the hot album Doubles produced trendy videos, Nhasi features Andy Muridzo. The video premiered on Trace Africa. The sky is the  limit for Doubles. All he needs to push is his live performanc...

  The festive bar had already been set in the charts and club circuits. Most musicians had fought to be on top to please the expectations of their fans. The demands of the Christmas holiday are taken seriously by musicians. It’s normal that every fan expects his favourite musician to rivalry and offer a competing song or album.  This was not so with Selmor Mtukudzi's new single Gore Idzva. It is a song that came to complement all the hit songs from Allan Chimbetu, Sulu, Winky D, Andy Muridzo the young boy Heyman and many others who released late last year.  Gore Idzva is a single that was released on the earliest minutes of 2021 bringing in the missing aspect of our entertainment, meditation agency.   I have always argued that the homogeneous society is never in one situation at any given time and hence our music  must also vary to meet the different needs of our people. I have observed the inclination of most of our music to partying and dance. Our minds a...