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Collin Matiza Special Arts Correspondent
AFTER penning a song to raise money for  National Health Service’s frontline workers in England following the outbreak of coronavirus, UK-based contemporary musician, Portia Gwanzura, has decided to record another song, this time paying tribute to the people she grew up with in Mhondoro back home in Zimbabwe.

Gwanzura, who is based in Wigan, England, fronts a traditional music band — Hohodza — and has of late been busy in the studio recording a number of songs as she prepares to relaunch her career in the tough world of entertainment business.

In May, Gwanzura, who had decided to take time out from performing and recording music in 2006, felt compelled to return for the first time to offer her support during the coronavirus pandemic. She released a cover version of Don Williams’ song “You’re My Best Friend”, which she brought to life with her own style and African musical background, to raise money for the NHS in England.

And after the song was warmly received across the United Kingdom, the veteran Zimbabwean female singer was recently back in the studio again, this time recording a single in which she is tracing her roots to the place that she grew up in Mashonaland West Province’s area of Mhondoro.

Titled “KuMhondoro”, the song is accompanied by a video which was shot in Mhondoro two weeks ago and will be released on YouTube anytime soon.

“KuMhondoro” comes hot on the heels of another single called “Kabhegi” which Gwanzura released a few weeks ago in remembrance of her late vocalist Simbarashe Mudzingwa, who passed away in the UK on June 26, 2015.

The song “KuMhondoro” is spiced up with some Jiti and Gwanzura sings about how good life was when she was growing up in Mhondoro where there are popular places like Mubaira, Dzumbunu, Nyamweda and Marirangwe.

Speaking to Herald Arts from her base in Wigan earlier this week, Gwanzura poured her heart out, saying she hasn’t forgotten her roots in Mhondoro despite having relocated to England with most members of her Hohodza band more than a decade ago.

“I’m proud of my history and background; and that is why I decided to come up with this song which is basically dedicated to the rural folk of Mhondoro where I come from in Zimbabwe,” she said. “The video of the song was also done in Mhondoro two weeks ago and I did my vocals here in the UK.”

Gwanzura said the song was not a once-off offering as there were a lot of things in the pipeline for her since she was now back in the business full-time, music-wise.

“Yes, Portia is back full-time and I got another single which I’m going to release at the end of September or in October if all goes well,” she said. “No album is coming yet, but I’m aiming to release a single every four to six weeks.

“I’m still fronting Hohodza Band and I’m doing the recording of the songs with the band . . . There’s a lot of uncertainty in this industry at the moment due to coronavirus, so I can’t make concrete plans on when I will be coming up with a new album.

“But the truth is I’m back and the video of the song “KuMhondoro” should be ready within the next few days and people should get it on the  Portia Gwanzura & Hohodza Band on YouTube channel. “I’ll release another song around mid-October this year and I’m working on it now. I don’t have a record label yet which is why I’m only releasing singles and if I do, however, get a record label then I will be in a position to do an album because they’ll be able to market it.

“At the moment I am working in the studio only, but if there is any demand for any live shows then I’ll jump on them because I’m surrounded by many musicians here in England and it will be easy to do that.”

Gwanzura, who formed Hohodza Band in 1992-3, becoming one of the few female singers to do that in this country, also groomed popular local singer Progress Chipfumo during that period.

“He (Chipfumo) first went on stage with Hohodza Band and I promoted him as one of Hohodza Band members,” she said. “He joined the band when we had done three albums already with the late Simbarashe Mudzingwa.”

Gwanzura said she was looking at paying tribute to all Zimbabwean female musicians, especially those who passed away like Ambuya Madhuve, Chiwoniso Maraire, Katarina (Elizabeth Taderera) and Machipisa (Catherine Mazodze).

“As you know, music is a very difficult industry in Zimbabwe, especially for women,” she said. “So, for people like the ones I’ve mentioned to make a name for themselves it wasn’t easy; they should be recognised! As we all know it’s a predominantly male industry in Zimbabwe.”