Zim DJ collaborates with Zahara

Zahara

Zahara’s multiplatinum debut album, Loliwe, won eight awards including newcomer of the year, and best-selling album. Kaya FM DJ George Munetsi, who collaborated with Zahara on the song Incwad’ Enance, has been basking in the glory too. 

The love song, in which the radio personality sings in Shona, bagged the best collaboration award. Zimbabwean born Munetsi said the collaboration with Zahara could be credited to fate. “I was an MC at a gig where she was featured (this was eight months before she even stepped into the studio to record the Loliwe album),” Munetsi said.

“I, like everybody else who was at that gig, was completely blown by her, so I spoke to her management to bring her for an interview on my show, Georgie in the Afternoon, the next day.” During the interview Munetsi told Zahara their voices would blend well together, and he asked her to feature him on one of her songs.

“She agreed but I never thought much about it after that because I was sure, just like many artistes I had spoken to before her, that was going to be the last I would hear from her. I was pleasantly surprised when she called me while she was recording.”

This was not the first time that the former Zimbabwean policeman, who served as a United Nations’ peace maker in Angola, had told musicians he was interviewing that he could sing. He added Shona Lyrics on Suthukazi Arosi’s song Ubuntu and the band Uju’s Black Soldier to showcase his vocal abilities. However, the Munetsi versions of the songs were never officially released.

Munetsi said he began singing when he was in junior school. “My mom and one of the guitar-playing tenants where we used to stay in Old Canaan Highfield in Harare thought I had something going. “And a girlfriend of mine at the time wouldn’t want to talk to me on the phone until I sang a Bob Marley song.”

Munetsi said he was inspired by three musicians — Thomas Mapfumo, Oliver Mtukudzi and Bob Marley. He said he would love to collaborate with Mtukudzi. “A lot of the people here in South Africa have been inquiring when I am recording with him. “I have spoken to him and he has indicated his willingness to collaborate, so, should everything go according to plan, there should be Oliver/Georgie collaborations on my album.”

Munetsi said a natural step would be to release an album. He had already recorded some tracks that include a single called Rudo/Lerato, a duet with South African musician Kruna. Dailynews