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Lingiwe Nyamande

Arts Correspondent
Singer Lingiwe Nyamande did not find her voice or rhythm until three weeks after the death of her mother last year due to Alzheimer’s disease.  “After the death of my mother, I felt an unusual urge to hum a tune which at first I dismissed as nothing more than a feeling of sadness. As the tune persisted, I decided to record the humming which soon turned to words. I reached for the only recording device within my reach, a cellphone.

“Surprisingly, words just flowed. I didn’t have to worry about where the next word would come from; neither did I worry about the rhythm. After recording I played back and realised that I had composed my first song,” explained Lingiwe.

This was the birth of her first song “Fambai Zvakanaka” which is the opening track to her first album “Amai”, a dedication to her mother.
The six-track album “Amai” was co-produced by seasoned musician and guitarist Clive “Mono” Mkundu and Dereck Mpofu. “Amai” is a blend of  afro-jazz and contemporary Zimbabwean music bound to make waves on the music scene.

The tracks are “Fambai Zvakanaka”, “Huyai Baba”, “Kumbirai”, “Magumo”, “Pakutanga” and “Mwanasikana”.
“Fambai Zvakanaka” is a tribute to her loving and caring mother. It also highlights the knowledge, work ethics, courage and love imparted to children by their mothers. Though the song is slow and touching it is also a celebration of the good work done by all mothers. The afro-jazz feel on the instrumentals compliments the lyrics and vocals. This song will appeal to everyone and to those whose mothers have departed.

The third track “Kumbirai” has all the characteristics of a hit song. It’s a very good sing along song with a simple, but powerful chorus. The instruments and vocals flow seamlessly. It’s an inspiration to seek from the Lord and the Lord will provide. The song maintains the jazz feel of the album, but also has some reggae baselines.

Other tracks to look forward to are “Huyai Baba” and “Mwanasikana”, “Huyai Baba” is a plea to the Lord to forgive all the people for their sins and a call for the Lord’s grace as his time has come. The song has a traditional feel fusing mbira, jit and jazz. On the other hand, “Mwanasikana” addresses all the challenges faced by the girl child. It calls for a change in people’s perceptions of the girl child.
“Pakutanga” is more like the musical version of the book of Genesis. Reminding us that God created the heavens and the earth and everything in it. He also set rules for us, but we are constantly flouting these. “Magumo” is a reminder to all of us that in the end, everything is going to end. The only immortal being is God himself. This is also an easy-going sing along which you might find yourself listening to over and over again.

The album is a good start for the 46-year-old Lingiwe and a departure from most of the gospel products released by aspiring musicians which are mere imitations of established musicians.

She was born Lingiwe Musithu in Shurugwi on November 4, 1966. She is the younger of two siblings Abel and Freeman. Lingiwe was educated at Vungwi Primary School in Shurugwi. She completed her O-Levels and A-Levels at Kwenda Mission and Chaplin High School respectively.

She attended the University of Zimbabwe where she graduated in Political Science and Administration in 1990. It was during her first year at university that she met her husband Dr Kennedy Nyamande in 1987. They later got married and were blessed with two sons Kudzai and Mudiwa.

In 1991, Lingiwe and Kennedy moved to South Africa with their one-month-old baby Kudzai. Whilst her husband completed his specialisation as a physician, Lingiwe enrolled to study for a BCompt degree through Unisa which she completed in 1998. She completed a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours Accounting) CTA through the University of Natal in 2000 while serving articles through Deloitte.
Music was ever present in the Musithu household as his father Moses was a well renowned school choir master for many years.