Zimpapers Logo

are not hesitant to show off their curvy bodies in front of the audience and cameras.
Their success also goes along with their scandals and criticism from the audience. That is the life of pop stars in America. But how do Zimbabwean female pop stars fare when compared with their American counterparts?

One thing for sure is that our own Zimbabwe stars do not make as much money as the Hollywood stars and they have less scandals in comparison, but this is not to say Zimbabwean female singers are less talented.

ZI-FM Stereo radio station, which started five months ago, has created radio presenters out of Zimbabwe’s most treasured and talented singers. These include Sanii Makhalima, Plaxedes Wenyika, Cindy Munyavi, Kudzai Sevenzo and Patience Musa.

They also have style and sex appeal and are just as confident on stage as their American counterparts..

Patience Musa has of late featured prominently on all radio stations across the nation. Her hit single “Criss- Cross” seems to have touched the hearts of many people as it comes across with a smooth rhythm and a hot jazzy feel.

Born on March 14, 1979, Patience Musa is a jazz artiste, who began her music career rather late, in 1999 at the age of 20. She comes from a family of visual artists and graphic designers.
Her father, Hassan Musa, was the creator of early Zimbabwean cartoons such as “Hoza”, “Potonjere” and “Mujiba”.

At the age of six, Patience began school at Alfred Beit in Mabelreign, Harare, and later transferred to Avonlea Primary School. Afterwards she attended Hatfield High School, CCOSA College and Harare Polytechnic.

On completion of college, she worked initially with Fungai Malianga of “Jesus You Saved My Life” fame. She says she gained a lot of experience by working with this experienced musician. That was in 1999.

After that she joined Mateo Kaunda and Willom Tight on a project  which released two albums — “Impressions of Africa” and “Asambe Africa”. These two CDs enjoyed a lot of success locally, regionally and internationally.

In 2000 the trio decided to form a band and embark on live shows. A band was put together and they became known as Mateo and Friends.

During the first Hifa in 2001 the group played at the main stage after a tour of the country with two projects — “Artistes Against Aids”, which was put together by Rooftop Promotions to create Aidsawareness.

The second project was called “Artistes Against Poverty”. These two projects saw young Patience visiting every corner of Zimbabwe and at the same time showing off her vocal skills.

In 2002 after she felt that she had gained enough experience, Patience formed her own group and she  called it The Other Four. The group began to concentrate on afro-jazz and Patience once again proved that she had vocal skills which were outstanding. The Other Four participated in various jazz festivals.

In November 2002, Patience released her debut CD  entitled “With Love”. This was nominated for a Zima award in the best jazz category.

In 2005 Patience released her second album which was self-titled. It received massive airplay and Patience began to grow. After the death of Fred Allan, a.k.a “Sanchez”, shortly after the release of the album, The Other Four split up.

Patience, with no musicians to back her up, decided to join Kelly Rusike’s Jazz Invitation in 2010. In the same year she released her third album. She soon left Jazz Invitation and joined yet another band entitled Evicted with which she performed at Hifa Main Stage.

Patience is a determined woman who is looking for success, whichever way it comes. She says her greatest inspiration is Michael Jackson as she likes the way he used to move.
Although a mother to four children who include one biological son, she is still single and has ambitions in advancing her music career.

She is currently working with a band called Synergy with Bernie Bismark on keyboards and has embarked on her fourth 10-track album now which is due for release in January.

Patience Musa has participated in many jazz festivals in the past 11 years that she has been in the music industry. In 2001 she shared the Main Stage at Hifa with  Stella Chiweshe, Busi Ncube and Chiwoniso Maraire.

She has travelled regionally and overseas and shared the stage with great artistes like the late Brenda Fassie, Jimmy Dlhudlu, Sibongile Khumalo, Dorothy Masuka, Hugh Masekela, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Oliver Mtukudzi, Bernie Bismark, PJ Powers, to mention only a few.

Patience has also enjoyed success on television where she enjoyed a stint as host for a music programme Afro Beat. Between 2003 and 2005 she also hosted the first ever reality show in Zimbabwe – “Tourism Challenge” — which involved her travelling all over the country to all of the different resorts.

In October 2001 Patience Musa compered the Miss Zimbabwe pageant alongside Henry Olonga.
For the past seven years Patience has also been working behind the scenes in the advertising and marketing industry doing recording voice overs and jingles.

Besides her passion for music, Patience is a graphic designer. She can paint and draw and has a love for books. She was a volunteer for the organisation Zimbabwe Book Development Council from 1997 through to the time the organisation closed down.

She pioneered a youth group “Youth Forum”, whose aim was to encourage reading among the youth, and to help school libraries. She has also worked with Forum Syd, a Swedish NGO, as a working  member after she participated in their youth exchange programme. Suffice to say that Patience is a woman of many hats!

Today, Patience hosts the Exhale Show with a very shrewd and intelligent partner, one Wonderful Xavier Kamundaya on Zi-FM radio station.

Together they are doing an excellent job of entertaining Zimbabwe. Her single, “Criss Cross” is every household’s favourite as evidenced by the number of requests we receive on our “All That Jazz” show on Sundays at the same station.

Feedback: [email protected]