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Tawanda Marwizi Arts Correspondent
Sungura musician First Farai has suspended live shows saying continuing with performances is tantamount to donating his energy to the people since he is not making anything from the gigs. “For now there is no business and there is no reason why I should continue doing live shows. I used to perform in mines but this rain season people in those areas do not come for shows. There is no business when it is raining. I have to stop everything for now,” he said.

He said he is trying to avoid a humiliating situation= like the previous one when he failed to pay US$50 for transport he had hired to carry music equipment to a show.

“I am a full-time musician and if people don’t attend my shows there is nowhere I can get the money and such situations are not health for artists,” he said.

First Farai last year released also took time to explain the title of his latest album, “Fantastic Farai-Ubwada”.

“I no longer sweat about album names because this is my 10th project. Everyone knows that I am fantastic. Ubwada means ‘delicious’ in our Korekore language. In other words, I am saying the album is sweet to the ear,” he said.

However the album failed to make an impact on the local market despite having a name that suggests goodness.

First Farai hogged the limelight when he represented the country at Inter-regional Music Crossroads finals held in Tanzania in 2002.

Determined to make it, he started working on a number of projects and his breakthrough came when he released his album “Simba Nacho” that did well with the song “Secret Number”.

The sungura musician has played at different forums including national galas where he struggled to make an impact.

Born 36 years ago in Chinhoyi, he has several albums to his name – “Pahasha”, “Dingatinga”, “Ngingongingo”, “Simba Racho”, “Tiritose Mundima Machinda”, “Zvipo NeTariro”, “Zvandakuitirai Izvi” and “Paidamoyo”.