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Rute, Dudu and Patience

“Is the big five a yardstick by which to measure excellence and success of musicians?”
While it is apparent that hard work and perfecting one’s craft as well as a good marketing strategy is key for every musician’s success, it remains an enigma that in the past five years no women musicians have been accorded a place in the big five, which paints the clique as a male dominated space.

There was a recent discussion on the issue following an article that dwelt on the debate, which has been going on in female musicians’ circles for sometime.

Most of those who took part in the discussion indicated that most women artistes have perfected their stagecraft and produce quality work, most sentiments expressed the need for the artistes to work harder on connecting with the audiences — performing in the ghettos where most of music followers are — but then not all audiences are in the ghetto.

That cannot be all, relevance also is required in order to pull numbers. The major question is: “Is there a place for women among Zimbabwe’s big five?”, but it also has to be followed up with the inquiry: “Is the big five a yardstick by which to measure excellence and success of musicians?”

It is all limiting to think that there has been no women artistes worth of recognition in the music industry. Names that featured the most included Ammara Brown, Sandra Ndebele, Busisiwe Ncube, Tariro neGitare, Diana Samkange, the late Chiwoniso Maraire, Hope Masike, Fungisayi Zvakavapano-Mashavave, Dudu Manhenga, Prudence Katomeni-Mbofana and this is not to say there are no other women musicians who can make the cut.

Edith WeUtonga had this to say, “Why wait for someone to decide whether we make the cut or not? Some were given the opportunity, space to showcase their trade and some had no audience, no music, no talent but were given the space till the audience got used to the ‘music’ they produced.

“And yet the space is not being given to women. I believe we have very talented women in Zimbabwe and it’s about time we created our own spaces.”

This was echoed by Hope Masike who said, “Expecting and believing we deserve recognition as women even as good artistes won’t get anyone anywhere. We need to let our work speak louder. Our videos, songs, stage work, brand images should be 10 times better, unapologetically excellent.”

She gave an example of SWAY, a production which featured Dudu, Prudence and Rute Mbangwa, as a way of encouraging women artistes to create opportunities for themselves and others.

Marian Kunonga had some tough love to share. Being a filmmaker Marian was unhappy with how women musicians are portrayed in music videos and how sometimes the lack of coherence between video and song does a disservice to the musician; how women artistes are continually objectified and portrayed as objects.

Diana Samkange, Queen Mashie and Vimbai Zimuto called for the organisation of women musicians in a way that makes them forces to reckon with both as individuals and collectively.

The debate was never about favours, it was about interrogating and trying to find out why women in music are not making it to the selected group of the big five. This would therefore bring out a plethora of issues but it cannot be overstressed that this discussion was not to seek preferential treatment for women artistes.

The struggles that women artistes go through in the industry are so many. They have been there and still continue to haunt them even though a few strides have been made in recent years.

Women artistes understand better and it was refreshing to hear many of them contribute to the debate with confidence and stipulating what they really want for themselves as players in the industry.

There is need for more collaborations and platforms created by women artistes themselves to promote themselves in all sectors as well as groom young artistes who need guidance and support from those that have gone before them. — Womeninartsinzimbabwe blogspot.