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Tafadzwa Zimoyo Senior Arts Reporter

Australian-based Zimbabwean musician, Mabasa Ziyambi, known as Bazuka in the music circles, has said he is excited with how his latest album “Freedom” has been performing well on social media platforms.

The album, which was recorded during the lockdown period last year, is trending on Spotify and iTunes which he encouraged other musicians to follow suit in order to survive in difficult times.

Of late, musicians have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has seen the ban of live shows to an extent that some countries have even banned the hosting of virtual shows.

In an interview, Bazuka said he was ready for the local audience to finally hear what he has been working on in the studio.

“I wrote the song years ago and was inspired by my own life and journey at the time,” he said. “I was trying to inspire myself to live my life based on how free we are.

“No wonder why I named the album Freedom. Musicians should take the issue of social media seriously as it sustains livelihoods. Right now most people are working from home and us as musicians our only hope lies on social media, that is where the money is.

“I was in a place where I discovered myself through the process of writing and making music and it led me to write this album.”

Bazuka said he has enrolled a team of creatives who are helping him push his works.

“My gift is to write, but I would need help on some of the stuff about social media,” he said. “I am an Afrojazz artist, but recently, due to multiculturalism in Australia, I started singing reggae music.

“The move has changed my music career completely for I have become increasingly popular with music lovers. I have a big team working with me and I think it has helped in the quality of my music.

“I work with Faith Naphazi who runs the Zimbabwean side of production and here in Australia I am managed by musician Simba Antonio. We also work together on stage.”

Bazuka said with the recent challenges that the coronavirus pandemic has imposed on the world, he saw it fit to release the album which he described as a “hope and faith”.

“My message of hope to all my fellow countrymen is that we are currently living in uncertain times with the outbreak of Covid-19,” he said. “During times like this, our faith can be challenged, and it can be hard to see where God fits in with this new normal.”