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Forward Mazuruse

Arts Reporter
Producer-cum-musician Forward Mazuruse has started a unique empowerment and advocacy programme aimed at developing talent and enhancing development.The Music for Development Foundation founder and director said he is rolling out a nationwide campaign to identify, nurture and record young but underprivileged musicians at his Revival Studios.

“Music is my life and having seen the potential in the industry especially in growing the greater economy, I am identifying young but unheralded talent under my new project, Music for Development Foundation,” Mazuruse said.

The affable musician who has recorded over 500 albums in a career spanning close to two decades said he has always nurtured young talent but felt its high time he does it in a more coordinated way. “I have always been nurturing talent but Music for Development gives me a unique and coordinated opportunity to nurture talent.

“Zimbabwe is very rich in musical talent but most of these talents are underprivileged and need nurturing coupled with access to recording studios,” Mazuruse said.

The respected music producer also highlighted that he is using his foundation to advocate for women’s rights, child care and protection and environment conservation.

“I started getting involved in advocacy work around 2003 with the ‘Stop Aids’ campaign and I produced two songs namely ‘Anoda Rudo’ and ‘Ngatibatane’ which respectively fought stigma and discrimination and promoted unity in combating HIV and AIDS.

“The foundation has therefore created a better platform for me and so far I have produced a song titled ‘Shamwari’ which advocates for the rights of the underprivileged and those with disability,” he said.

In view of his remarkable strides, Mazuruse thanked the Government and other development players that have made it easy for those with initiatives to champion their cause.

“Zimbabweans are blessed to have a system that allows for initiative and we thank our Government for that space. Development players have also come in handy with the required technical and moral support and I believe we will bring positive change and development to our communities through this campaign,” he said.

Of his own music projects, Mazuruse said he will be producing another album later in the year following the success of his previous project “Jesus is Everything, Jesu Ndiye Zvese” in 2016.