Starbrite winner’s lucky star shines

HARARE – Blessing Chidzurira, the winner of Starbrite 2014, must have been born under a lucky star.

After failing to finish university studies due to financial constraints, failing to make the cut in the 2014 Zim Praise auditions, he somehow found himself on Starbrite.

Even though he didn’t know of the competition. And even though he didn’t have the registration fee.

With ambitions of being a star, the musician went to Harare for the 2014 Zimpraise auditions but flopped.

While wondering through Harare’s First Street Maill, dejected and licking his wounds, he bumped into a Starbrite team registering contestants.

“It’s very funny how I joined Starbrite, because I had never heard about it before,” he laughs.

But the young man did not have money for registration, and he was advised to pre-register and then pay the fee later – which he never did.

“The deadline for payment of the registration fee passed but since I had failed to come up with the money, I ended up forgetting about the whole thing and I was surprised when I received an SMS informing me that I was being invited to the Starbrite auditions.

“When I got to the auditions, I told the guys that I had failed to raise the money for registration, they understood my situation and I was allowed to audition, the rest is history.”

The Mberengwa-born 28-year-old artiste started singing in the school choir at Nkankezi Primary.

“I was in the primary school choir but I didn’t take it seriously and I only got to discover my musical abilities when I started singing in the ZAOGA Church choir in 2004 while I was studying accounting at the National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo,” he recounts.

Blessing did not finish his studies and after moving to Masvingo, he joined Harvest House International’s praise and worship team.

“While I was at Harvest House, I joined a gospel group, Royal Family Choir, and we have since recorded two live DVDs.” He says he has learnt a lot from his Starbrite journey.

“It was quite challenging because sometimes you think you are good, but then you meet other artistes who are also talented and you have to step up your game to stay on top.

“I believe Starbrite has played a big role in my career because during the whole season I gained a lot of confidence and I learnt a lot of things about the industry from the boot camp we attended.” The Sunday Mail