The Chronicle
Showbiz Reporter
Hillary “Punchline” Mutake who manages popular Zimdancehall musician, Jah Signal has called on people to stop trashing artistes’ works and instead support them as a lot goes on behind the scenes.
His sentiments came at a time popular musician, Jah Prayzah who is often compared with Winky D, was having his album – Hokoyo – compared to Winky D’s works with some trashing his music.
Punchline, posting on his Facebook page said: “Most people don’t know that a three-minute song they take for granted, for it to be produced, takes not less than eight hours of production in the studio. You have to see some of the behind the scenes to get an appreciation of what goes into producing a song, haisi kidz game (it’s not child’s play).”
He added that artistes could do with support as music is an expensive hobby, yet, most local artistes do not have people funding them.
“Making music is extremely costly. From booking studio time, paying engineers, getting beats from producers, handling mixes, shooting good music videos, marketing, creating content to promote a project, education and personal development (lessons, workshops) and going on tours. Without money and the proper support, it will be difficult to achieve all this,” wrote Punchline.
“Music is an expensive hobby. So long as we don’t have grants, non-profit funding and investors in the music industry in Zimbabwe, it’s going to take us a while to get there.”
As a way forward, he suggested that the country’s music scene needs a proper record label and investors who will genuinely promote the country’s art.
“We need serious investors to step in and not just have those who ride on the tide. It’s high time we make it out there. Right now, we lack most of that support and as artistes, torarama nenyasha dzema bosses/varungu as they are called in the entertainment circles anenge atongo nakirwawo newe who helps out here and there.
“They’re the ones you hear artistes sing about every now and then you fail to understand what’s going on. There is need for a proper record label which can help push Zimbabwean music out there.”
Responding to his post, some concurred with Punchline saying local artistes need to be supported and promoted more.
“Zimbabwe is saturated with foreign music since the 90s which made us look down on our very own. You can let Jah Prayzah or Winky D curtain raise for Mafikizolo, but can the latter do so for Winky D in SA?
“Let us promote our local music and make our artistes big thus creating a free market and instil confidence in up-and-coming artistes that they can have an audience,” commented one Theo Makombe.
Star FM DJ Mbale said for artistes to get support, they need to put in the work if they are to be taken seriously and lure investors.
“For one to take someone seriously, one needs to act professionally. The reason why certain investors won’t put their money in music is the issue of professionalism,” DJ Mbale said.
