TONGAI MOYO'S albums have stormed the airwaves as fans and record companies mourn one of Zimbabwe's sungura stars. The Utakataka Express frontman who died on October 15 from non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, is posthumously riding on a new wave of popularity with fans not only going after his latest release "Toita Basa" but also his yesteryear albums like "Vimbo", "Vise", "Chechete" and "Ndazvimba Mapapu".A kombi driver plying the City-Highfield route said he was a big fan of Dhewa although he never used to attend his live shows.
Affectionately known to his legion of fans as Dhewa, the "Ndinobvuma" singer is receiving heavy rotation on the airwaves, in pubs, clubs as well as commuter omnibuses. Most of his albums are also popular on iTune downloads. "It always happens that people don't know what they have got until it's gone," said an official from Gramma Records who requested anonymity.
Affectionately known to his legion of fans as Dhewa, the "Ndinobvuma" singer is receiving heavy rotation on the airwaves, in pubs, clubs as well as commuter omnibuses. Most of his albums are also popular on iTune downloads. "It always happens that people don't know what they have got until it's gone," said an official from Gramma Records who requested anonymity.
"There are many people who listened to his (Dhewa) music and yet they never attended any of his live shows. What's happening now is that we are now appreciating his music more than ever before," he said.
Another fan said the good thing about music was that it lives long after the musicians have died.
"I think Dhewa will continue to live through his music and his message will remain relevant to the living as they go through their day-to-day lives," Netsai Machingambi said.
Moyo assembled the Utakataka Express outfit before releasing his first solo album, "Vimbo", in 1996.
The former hospital clerk joined Shirichena Jazz Band in the late 1980s, a period that saw him playing a pivotal role in releasing the group's album, "Ndoita Zvangu Ndega" in 1991. It was not until he weaned himself from being a Leonard Dembo wanna-be to being his own man on the album "Samanyemba" that his career scaled dizzy heights.
The album "Naye" saw Dhewa hogging the limelight with his chart topper "Nemumvura Mese" which earned him two Zimbabwe Music Awards. Tongai had a litany of stage names that included "Muchina Muhombe", "Samanyemba", "Igwe", and "Mopao Mokonzi". At the peak of his career, Dhewa did not confine his gigs to Zimbabwe, but spread his tentacles across southern Africa and Europe. He toured the UK, USA, Botswana and South Africa at times in the company of Oliver Mtukudzi and Alick Macheso, while he also collaborated with a popular Batswana artiste. (Herald)
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