‘Zodwa, a gift from God’

By Bruce Ndlovu

While some see her as the clearest sign that Africans have lost all morality and ubuntu, the man who discovered and nurtured the bewildering phenomenon that is Zodwa Wabantu, DJ Tira, believes that the thigh baring performer is a gift from God.

Last week, the Durban entertainer turned Club Connect inside out as he put up a master class on the decks, leaving most revellers hot and sweaty on a sweltering Bulawayo night.

Before all the action, Tira had a chat with Sunday Life where he revealed that Zodwa’s rapid rise showed the power of the Almighty, as she came to his Afrotainment stable when the likes of Big Nuz seemed to be finding their way in the world of music without him.

“It just shows the power of God and how God blends everything around you,” the Durban DJ said.

“We just won the Red Bull Culture Clash, kicking it with Tipcee and Zodwa, Lvovo, Professor and Danger. It was amazing. The fact that we won it with that team is what amazes me. And also the fact that Zodwa just adds that charisma at Afrotainment just makes everything exciting you know.”

Like the rest of the world, Tira said that he never thought that a performer like Zodwa, who does not possess any musical gifts, could become such a mega star.

“It’s amazing. I never thought that I’d have one of my top artistes as a person like Zodwa. I never thought that one of the hottest of the hottest properties that I have at Afrotainment would be a person like Zodwa,” he said.

With Zodwa becoming his loyal sidekick during most shows, Tira said that her talents perfectly complemented his own.

“We got the music. We play the music and people enjoy the music but sometimes people want to see ‘something’. Zodwa gets on stage and the whole place is on fire. So we complement each other very well,” he said.

Tira said despite all the criticism, Zodwa was a lovely person who only had good intentions.

“She’s also a very lovely person and I love the fact that she knows what she wants. She’s working for the money. Excuse her for being too raw even though she speaks the truth. She just becomes too raw sometimes that at times even I am overwhelmed. But that’s the person that she is and that’s what makes her special and we should allow her to be who she is and help her where we can help her. As long as she is getting the paper and not harming anyone then it’s all good,” he said.

Zodwa seems to have emerged at the perfect time for Tira, as it is still clear about sensations Big Nuz’s status at Afrotainment. The Durban DJ said that he could not clear the air on his current standing with Big Nuz.

“It’s not something that’s in the open and it’s not something that I should talk about. So I can’t really say much about it right now,” he said. Sunday News