I’m the face of sungura – Alick Macheso

By Prince Mushawevato

HARARE – Sungura king, Alick Macheso, presently sits with unease on his throne. And now the beleaguered sungura giant is blaming the media for the waning fortunes of his beloved genre.

The troubled sungura maestro believes that the media has amplified the Zim dancehall genre and its artistes by creating “columns” for it at the expense of sungura, which saw him crowned king.

“. . . people believe what they read. If you tell them that Pasuwa (Callisto) is the best coach in the country or that so and so is the best player in the country, they will go with that.

“You (the media) created columns for Zim dancehall, a thing you did not do for sungura, and made everyone believe the genre (dancehall) is the in thing and yes these are the results,” lamented Macheso.

However, he was quick to point out that Zimbabwean music is soon going to revert to the old status quo and he will be the man to do it.

“I’m the face of sungura. I don’t want to be remembered as someone who let this beautiful genre go down the drain. I will work to the very last drop of my blood to bring sungura back to the apex,” declared Macheso.

He added: “Unoona haungafananidze maputi nema chips, hazvife zvakafanana. Chero zvose zvichinaka zvine kakusiyana kazvo. Unogona kumbovhiringidzika so asi unongozoona kuti zvakasiyana. Isu tine vanhu vedu kwete veavavo.

(One cannot compare roasted maize with potato crisps, it doesn’t make sense. You may get confused at first but in the long run you will come to your senses. We have our followers that are loyal to the genre).”

Macheso, who confessed that he was pained by the fall of sungura from grace, was speaking two days after a monumental flop, which saw only a few hundred fans pay their way into the giant Aquatic Complex in Chitungwiza to watch him, Peter Moyo, Slizer and Franco from Botswana perform.

“I am not driven by competition or the need to prove that I am the best. I have noted that the sungura genre, not Macheso, is under threat of being reduced to ashes, and that hurts me more than anyone else.

“Sungura, not just Macheso must regain the glory of yesteryear that saw all the young ‘salads’ not only appreciating but voraciously consuming our music,” he said.

Thus the million dollar question is: Why has the promised album not been delivered yet? Last week, Macheso, who is envied by many for his mental and physical stamina, confessed to this writer in an emotionally charged interview that he was afraid to release the album.

And striking the right chord by ultimately winning lost ground is the only thing that will bring him peace and guarantee him a good night sleep.

“I have had to make several changes on some of the songs on my forthcoming album after consultations so that it comes out well hence the delays – just watch the space. The adjustments we have been making all along will make people understand why they say we are the best in this business,” said Macheso.

After this writer’s encounter with the maestro at a local downtown nightclub, one can be forgiven for concluding that the gifted lyricist and revered guitarist is troubled, worried, sad, distressed or even depressed.

He has the weight of the “world” on his shoulders and the musician is being called to unleash and use the force that saw him crowned king of sungura to save the genre from demise.

Maybe sungura is ready for a new king, just like in Zim dancehall where “king” Winky D has been off form for some time but artistes like Killer T, Soul Jah Love, Seh Calaz and Tocky Vibes have taken turns to keep the Zim dancehall ship going.

But remember it’s a BIG maybe. The Sunday Mail