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Tafadzwa Zimoyo

Senior Arts Reporter

With a music career spanning 20 years, albeit with breaks in-between, Australian-based Zimbabwean Chris Nkomera seems to have found his groove back, judging by his experience in a foreign land and how he has managed to have collaborations with some of the popular musician locally.

Nkomera, affectionately known in music circles as “Alpha Ndega”, who is basking in glory after releasing his new love song titled “Huya Kuzonditora” featuring songstress Pah Chihera, said it was not easy being a musician in a foreign land.

The musician, who has proven his versatility in the sector by collaborating with dendera singer Sulumani Chimbetu and gospel artiste Blessing Shumba, said he dedicated 2021 to reinvent himself.

Nkomera said in an interview that he was breaking out from being a part time musician.

He said he decided to release “Huya Kuzonditora” with visuals because sometimes good music was not without a video.

“Visuals play a pivotal role in shaping the song,” he said. “Huya uzonditora” is a production which I feel will propel my music career following years of trying. I have been in the industry for over 20 years, but I have been taking some sabbaticals here and there owing to the changes in the country of residence and my professional career path.

“Now that I am settled here in Australia and with a full time job at a mine, I am in the right state and I am happy to be doing what I have always loved. I don’t harbour thoughts of becoming a full time performing artiste, but I will continue producing good music for as long as I breath.”

Born at a farm near Banket in 1976, Nkomera reckons he has a lot to share musically and his nomadic life gave him many life experiences which he believes have helped shape his artistic edge.

“Much of my early childhood was in Masvingo, but I later moved to Harare where my father was a policeman based at Morris Depot. I attended Tomlinson Depot Primary School, and later went to Churchill High School for secondary.

“I then moved from Zimbabwe to Malawi where my grandfather migrated from in the 1940s. From Malawi I then moved to South Africa in 2007 and returned to Zimbabwe in 2016. While I was moving from one country to another, I never was settled enough to fully follow my passion of music, but I believe all that travel gave me so many experiences to share musically.”

Though he started singing over 20 years ago in Harare and recorded his first album titled “Kutanga” in 2002 which had the song “Moyo Wangu” which came with a video that got some airplay on ZBCTV, Nkomera had some musical challenges.

He had a few songs recorded in Malawi in 2007, 2012 and 2015.

Nkomera said he has no specific name to his music genre, but believes it caters for the mature.

“I have no specific name to my music genre, but I know it has the pedigree to wet every serious music lover’s appetite. The genre is founded in reggae, yet the instrumentation sounds Zimbabwean and some songs even have live mbira on them.”

Nkomera’s music is being produced by the seasoned Spencer Masango, a childhood friend of his.

He said he has a rich discography of yet to be released music.

“I have done over 30 songs since moving to Australia and I record at Track Records International, based in Harare,” said Nkomera. “My producer is Spencer Masango, who is also a childhood friend I grew up with at Tomlinson Depot.

“I do not sing for a living, I sing because I love to sing. I do not see myself leaving my job to pursue singing full-time, but I am encouraged by close friends and family. Zimbabweans deserve to hear what I do, hence I will be churning out more good projects.”