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Arts Correspondent
Sepp Records, the recording studio famous for producing works by some of the country’s talented dancehall and gospel artistes like Lady Squanda, Terminator and Mai Foya among others, has relocated from their Hatcliffe base to Harare’s Central Business District.The move poised to expand the company’s operational base from being merely a recording company but also a marketing and distribution entity.

In recent years, a plethora of backyard studios had cropped up after some individuals who owned a computer thought that they could start and run a music recording studio, a development which has adversely compromised on the quality of music that is being released onto the market.

It was out of the need to dispel this notion that the directors of Sepp Records decided to set up a new base in the CBD, where some of the leading recoding firms in Zimbabwe like Diamond Studios and Gramma Records, also run their music interests.

By relocating to town, Sepp Records have joined the cut-throat world of music since Diamond Studios are currently on top of their game after having successfully recorded and marketed top-selling albums by prominent artistes like Jah Prayzah, Suluman Chimbetu, Agartha Murudzwa and recently, the hot new-find, Potipha Mopo of

“Makandiberekerei” fame; while Gramma also boasts a pool of other popular musicians in the country. Competition is healthy for the industry; it promotes diversity as well as the growth of new ideas and innovation,” said Shepherd Foya, who manages Sepp Records.

He added: “We rolacated to the CBD after having realised that our market base was growing and that naturally called for a location that was more central and easily accessible to artistes who records with us.

“The musicians raised their complaints and part of these was the issue of spending much on transport costs in order for them to get to Hatcliffe and therefore this gave rise to the decision to shift to town.”

Shepherd – who is son to gospel songtress Tryphin Tigere-Foya, who founded Sepp Records in 2009 – said they believe in quality and this is one of the key areas where their operations were premised on.

“We know that it is not going to be an easy transition but we believe that there is no substitute for quality. We are going to meet and live up to the standards while at the same time implementing new strategies which we believe will take the Zimbabwean music scene to new levels.

“The true meaning and information of music is our motto and we believe that certain standards should be in place in the Zimbabwean music industry so that it doesn’t stagnate but move along with evolving trends the world over,” he said.

According to Shepherd, Sepp Records will continue working with veteran music producer Blessing Mchenga who has produced a good number of Zimbabwean musicians of note, Fungisai Zvakavano-Mashavave and Jah Prayzah.

Shepherd also noted that the studio – which has in the past also engaged the services of prominent dancehall music producer Levels on a number of productions, as well Derrick Mpofu – has just finished working on a number of projects by various artistes.

These include the “Hatcliffe Dancehall Compilation” with Lady Squanda as the guest artiste among a pool of talented chanters from the settlement and other locations who include, Terminator, Ninja Kid, Empress Finer and Ex-Patriate, among others.

“Also to look out for is Mai Foya’s latest offering titled ‘Ndinotenda’, which we believe is one of her best albums to date,” Shepherd said.

The studio, that records all kinds of music genres, is situated at Adven House at the corner of Innez Terrace and Robert Mugabe road.

“Although we have rolacated to Harare’s CBD, this does not mean that we have stopped operations at our Hatcliffe studio because this one will keep on operating to cater for Hatcliffe artistes who can’t make it to town,” he said.