Masike to launch third album

By Kimberley Majange

SONGBIRD Hope Masike who last dropped an album six years ago is set to officially launch her new third album titled The Exorcism Of A Spinster at Reps Theatre in Harare this evening.

Hope Masike who fuses mbira with other instruments is also a percussionist, songwriter, fashion designer painter and a singer.

The album has 12 tracks which Idenga whose video was released two weeks ago, Dreams of Dande, Tonanaira, Gomba, Mbira Yangu among others.

In an interview with H-Metro, Masikes’ publicist Nyasha Dhliwayo described the album as humorous.

“This particular album describes an “exorcism” of a spinster who is not getting married owing to a bad omen.

“It’s a somewhat humorous, but still serious, exploration of the views some people in society hold regarding their expectations for women to get married by a certain age,” said Dhliwayo.

The publicist said the album is different from the previous ones as it introduces new sounds.

“The album is different from the previous ones as it has a different tastes in terms of the instrumentation.

“Exorcism of a Spinster”, still speaks on the things we all see and often experience around us; from yearning for the love of a departed mother, to encouraging us to take care of the elderly and even the intoxicating high that is love!

“The sound has however matured and there are a number of firsts.
For the first time I played the Nhare Mbira also known as ”Mbira dzaVadzimu” (mbira of the ancestors), in previous albums I only played the Nunga Nyunga type of mbira.

“The powerful sound of the Nhare Mbira also forms the musical backdrop of many traditional Shona ceremonies.”

Masike said she has roped in foreign acts on this album to come up with a competitive project.

“For the first time I engaged a producer, Erik Nylander who is a Swedish Producer and Drummer.

“This means you will hear instruments I never used before like synthesisers.

“For the first time, I also didn’t mix and master locally (”Exorcism Of A Spinster” was mixed in Denmark and mastered at Stockholm Mastering in Sweden) so expect to hear a more refined sound.

“Another first is that “Exorcism Of A Spinster”, will be promoted and distributed under a record label I signed on to; Riverboat Records label, which is United Kingdom based.

“This means that listeners, literally all across the world, will be able to access the album.

“Overall the themes of cherishing our African identity and the need for love of self and others remain the same, albeit expressed differently.

“Artistes who featured on the album are not in the traditional sense but as shared before, this time around time I engaged a producer, Erik Nylander who is a Swedish Producer and Drummer,” said Hope Masike.

She highlighted problems she encountered in coming up with the album.

“Like any other locally based citizen I have not been spared from the challenges that result from our country’s currently sluggish economy.

“As an artiste, I would want to share my craft in the best packaged way possible, however the economic environment does not always allow this to happen, however like the popular saying goes, “the show must always go on!

“It was not recorded all at one go, but cumulatively you could say it took, give or take, three years to put together,” Masike.

To date, the songbird has two albums to her credit, previous albums are the self-titled debut ”Hope”, released in 2009 and ”Mbira, Love and Chocolate” released in 2012. H-Metro