Another test for Peter Peter Moyo
Peter Moyo

Peter Moyo

Godwin Muzari Entertainment Editor—
When Peter Moyo launches his debut DVD for “Mushonga Mukuru” at Private Lounge tonight, he opens a new chapter of comparisons that have littered his budding music career for the past three years. Since he took over the reins at Utakataka Express from his late father, Tongai, in 2011, Peter has been inevitably compared to the departed stylish sungura star, with many critics saying he falls far below Tongai’s standard.

Just like many other children of late music legends, Young Igwe, as Peter is popularly known, is indeed struggling to match his late father’s legacy.
The young man has been trying his best to write his own story on the tablet of sungura music, yet he is unable to walk away from his father’s shadow. He cannot easily walk away when he has inherited the band, style and songs.

He is the only heir and his father’s fans still look up to him for solace because of the yawning gap that Tongai left in sungura music and the arts industry at large.

It took two years for Young Igwe to record an album and at one point a producer told him to leave the studio citing a bad voice.
It took some vocal lessons from Pastor Charles Charamba for the young man to improve his voice and finally release “Mushonga Mukuru” last year. His stage work also came under scrutiny, especially after the departure of bassist Spencer Khumulani, chanter Gift “Shiga Shiga” Katulika and drummer Gaison Sixpense. (The trio has now rejoined the band).

So, when Young Igwe presents his first videos to the industry at tonight’s DVD launch he literally falls into a sea of expectations and anticipations.
Fans will compare the new videos with his father’s productions.

Although sungura videos are generally poor, Tongai came up with good productions. He used the videos to display his dancers’ outstanding choreography and advance his brand as a “smart guy”.

Tongai was not like other sungura musicians that shoot a whole video album while dancing on top of rocks with their unconnected electric guitars. Fans expect his son to do better.

And Young Igwe says he has done his homework and will not disappoint his fans. His DVD will also carry a video of his father song “Ndiro Yababa”. His manager, Sukol Dube, said they have tried to maintain Tongai’s standards and the DVD could do even better.“It is a good DVD and our fans should look forward to a good product. We have tried to do it the way Tongai did but I believe we have gone a step further. We have used the Dhewa style and we have also come up with our own unique creations,” said Dube.

“Most of the band members worked with Dhewa and we all agreed that we can do better. Technology has changed and we have a new producer. We are confident that the DVD will take Peter’s career to another level.”

While Tongai used to do his videos with producers from Gramma Records, Young Igwe opted for an independent producer and worked with Gift Mutemariga from Kwekwe.
The videos were shot in Kadoma, Kwekwe, Harare and Lake Chivero.

Besides “Ndiro Yababa”, Peter did vidoes for his songs “Mira Newako”, “Konzi”, “Tutsotso” and “Pasirino”. At the launch the young musician will share the stage with Suluman Chimbetu and organisers have promised a good show.

“A number of musicians have launched their projects at Private Lounge and we hope we will have another great event at the venue. People have been waiting for Peter’s videos for a long time and we are honoured to be involved in unveiling the new product to his fans,” said one of the organisers.

Considering the criticism that Young Igwe has faced over the past years, this DVD will be another stern test for the young musician’s capacity to fit in Tongai’s shoes. The musician has been involved in several contorversial love affairs and he has to prove that his weakness for the fairer sex has not eroded his career focus.

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