AFRO-FUSION band, Original afriCANs, has roped in youthful dance outfit, Team Expandables in their new visual of the song Chikuru Rudo.
H-Metro’s Nyasha Kada (NK) caught up with Nyevero Muza (NM), the founding member of the Original afriCANs for a one-on-one interview about their new video among other things. Read on…
NK: Tell us about your latest offering.
NM: The Original afriCANs are pleased to present the video for our third single called Chikuru Rudo, a Sungura track with jazz and calypso influences. Just after releasing the song in 2021, we released a video compiled from footage captured during rehearsal and recording sessions at Kulcha Houz and Naletha Media respectively. That amateur video told the story of the making of the song and we promised to produce a proper video in the near future, telling the true story of the song. This is where we are now!
NK: What’s notable about this video?
NM: This video is special because it is the first one we did with a proper, professional videographer, Brighton Magaya of Laktam Studios in this case.
We also relied mainly on family members as extras for the wedding scene, so there is a great deal of sentimental value attached to it. The video is also special because in the song, we get to honour and celebrate two of our top soccer players who are raising the national flag in Europe: Tino Kadewere and Marvellous Nakamba.
In that regard, the song turned out to be kind of prophetic because when it was recorded in 2021, it talked about Captain Marvel. It’s now 2023 and Marvelous Nakamba has since become the captain of the Warriors.
NK: Did you work with any other third parties on the video?
NM: Yes indeed. We enjoyed working with a group of fantastic young dancers from Unit L in Seke, Chitungwiza called Team Expandables.
They are doing great things under the able leadership of the founder of the group, Clive Hunidzarira. I first noticed them on an earground documentary and immediately resolved to work with them due to the transformative work they are doing with the youth, of changing lives through dance. Sometimes all these youngsters need is a little encouragement/endorsement. The team comprised of Ashley Mupondiwa, who acted as the bride and Nathan Muteweye, who was the groom. The other members of the dancing crew were Godfree Chinzara, Keith Muchenje and Dylan Murwira.
NK: Which musicians did you work with on the song?
NM: The playing personnel included Carlton Mparutsa on drums, Jacky Mavhita and Nick Nare on keyboards, Ted Wengoma on percussion and Tapiwanashe Muza on bass guitar. I wrote the song, sang the lead vocals and played lead guitar. Backing vocals were provided by Nicholar Mutuwa.
NK: What is the story behind the song?
NM: This is a wedding song. A daughter has made the family proud by getting married the right way and has even managed to have a white wedding. The parents are understandably very happy. However, she is warned that marriage is no walk in the park.
The parents advise her on the dos and don’ts in order not to bring the family name into disrepute/dishonour. It’s not just about her, it’s about the family as well. In a nutshell, love is a beautiful thing, but it’s not easy.
NK: How is your music being received by listeners?
NM: Apart from pursuing music, I am also a hands-on farmer and this has taught me to be patient. When the rains don’t come on time, we wait, but we don’t stop working. When the plants don’t germinate, we don’t curse the soil: we replant. After that, we don’t tell the crops to hurry up and make up for lost time. Music is just like farming, we just have to keep working, patiently. Our work are our footprints on the sands of time. The idea is not to live forever, but to create something that will.
The good thing about music is that it can be its own reward sometime.
