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Peter Moyo

Entertainment Editor
MUSICIANS Peter Moyo and Tryson Chimbetu can no longer work together as they cannot agree on how to split gate takings and have disputes over who should have the higher billing.Peter and Tryson were once very close and occasionally appeared in public together, but they have since drifted apart and have made it clear that they are no longer as close as they were before.

Recently at the Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex gig, Tryson refused to perform before Peter saying he could not “curtain raise” for Peter, who was still a minnow in the game. Tryson was scheduled to perform around 8pm, but only went on stage at 4.30am, arguing that he could not perform before Peter.

“I sing a better brand, dendera, and I have many years in the industry, so I feel I have grown. I used to curtain raise for his father (Tongai Moyo) when he (Peter) was still at school, so how can the young man claim that I should curtain raise for him?” queried Tryson.

Peter, however, tried to play down the tiff, arguing that he was still friends with Tryson, although the two had “serious business differences”.

“There is no doubt that I am still and have always been on top of the game and I cannot be classified in the same league as Tryson surely.
“We are still good friends but if we were to hold separate shows within the same vicinity, who among the two of us will attract many people?” Peter asked cynically. The fight for supremacy and turf has been going on for some time among the two young crooners, who were once an inseparable pair only a year ago.

At one point during Dr Nero Commemorations held a few months ago at the Andy Miller Hall, Peter described Tryson as “his best friend in the music industry”.

“He has been there for me and I am grateful for that,” he said at the commemorations after they had a tight performance together in front of their legions of fans.

Back then when the two worked together, they would hold shows jointly and Peter Moyo would take 60 percent of the gate takings.
With the intention of taking the relationship to another level, Tryson was the first musicians to introduce Peter into the studio and the two did a duet “Bhora Mberi” which is on his album “Compass”.

Soon after the release of the song “Bhora Mberi”, the two budding musicians publicly declared that they would soldier on and work together on future musical projects.

It was widely expected that Peter would return the favour by featuring Tryson on his debut album “Mushonga Mukuru”, but he opted instead to feature on Romeo Gasa’s whom he is now doing the live shows with.

By then the relations had become so strained that Tryson was not even part of the invited guests at Peter’s album launch, and appeared surprised when he came across Peter’s invitation cards on the album launch.

That probably blew the lid off to the simmering tension that had been brewing between the two, particularly for Tryson who must have felt betrayed, after having invested his time in mentoring the Young Igwe.

Tryson has been toiling for years in an effort to build his name and started off as a curtain-raiser for the likes of Alick Macheso, among others.

With three albums to his name, the young crooner’s popularity graph has been steadily rising, with some music critics, describing his music as the “original dendera” beat.

Although he is one young man, who thrives on controversy, his youthful age gives him a competitive edge and is likely to go far, only if he gets himself a good manager to manage his unpredictable temper and his professional profile.

However, if anything be said, there is no doubt that Peter’s success should be attributed to Tryson’s guidance, among other few individuals who were quick to warm up to Peter musically soon after Tongai’s death.

It was only a month after Tongai’s death that the two started holding shows together and for months to come until the fallout a few weeks ago.