Munodawafa, Artisan Studios playing cat and mouse

Talented gospel musician and keyboard wizard Munyaradzi Munodawafa is playing cat and mouse with his recording stable Artisan Studios after the latter delayed releasing of his eight-track album titled "Zvava Nezodzo". The album was scheduled for release in September last year. Interestingly, Munodawafa, who is based in Masvingo, was recently spotted selling discs of his latest album, but back in Harare, Artisan Studios is putting "final touches" on the album.

The partially blind Munodawafa said he is not aware that Artisan Studios is yet to release his album. "It is very disappointing to note that my album is still to hit the market because I have already sold some of the copies here in Masvingo. I am surprised to learn that Artisan Studios is still to release it. "Many people from Masvingo now have my album and I was of assumption that all had been done in Harare. "If the album is not yet out, then Artisan Studios is being unfair; the album could have been out last September and they also told me their recording machine developed some problems.

"I finished recording last year but now I don't know what is happening. Asked about where he got the discs he sold in Masvingo, Munodawafa said he obtained them from the studio. "I took 70 copies from the studio last year and sold them here in Masvingo and they are in high demand. "People have been calling me asking about the album and I didn't know that it was yet to be released," he said. Allan Dzobo, the director of Artisan Studios, said they were processing the sleeves for the album.

"All is well and we are putting final touches on the album. Currently we are working on the sleeves," he said.
Munodawafa was born in 1988 and many will remember him as the young boy who mesmerised gospel music fans with his keyboard playing skills and his hit song - "Shandisa Chipo Chako" - at live shows. He released his first album "Mwari Anoona" in 1998 at the age of 10. Munyaradzi went to the United States in 1999 before returning to Zimbabwe in 2005. 

He released "Farai Munashe" in 2006 before he disappeared from the music scene. Munya made a dramatic return in 2010, with the album "Zvinouraya", which received commendable airplay on local radio stations.
He last made headlines in the same year after an enthralling performance at the Harare Gardens during a gospel concert which featured South Africa's Lundi Tymara and Nigerian Uche Agu Chukwu of the "My God is Good" fame. (Herald)