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Godwin Muzari Entertainment Editor
After almost 20 years of toiling for other musicians and making a name as a chanter for a number of outfits, Gift Katulika, popularly known as Shiga Shiga, has decided to go it alone. The musician is recording his first solo album that will be launched on February 14 in Harare.

Titled “Two Years Later”, the album is set to give a reflection of Shiga Shiga’s career as a supporting hand that contributed to some success stories in the history of the local music industry.

The musician says the title, which is a common phrase in movie settings, tells of the many things that have happened in his life leading to his decision to go solo.

Shiga Shiga rose to fame when he joined Tongai “Dhewa” Moyo to record the album “Naye” and briefly worked with Peter Moyo after Tongai’s death before being ‘sold’ to Energy Mutodi and ultimately working for raunchy dancer Beverly “Bev” Sibanda.

Shiga Shiga said his life has been sad since Dhewa’s death. The sad events in his life have led to a burning desire to become his own man.
“I never thought I would go solo this way because things were well when we worked for Tongai,” narrates Shiga Shiga.

“I had led a group before (New Stars Musica) and the squabbles at that outfit left me comfortable with playing a supporting role because I believed that was my calling.”

Despite making hits “Chando Kupisa” and “Chikolokolo Chamota” with New Stars Musica in 2001, Shiga Shiga’s fortunes as a band leader never looked promising, thus he had to take a back seat in other bands.

“I just hope that this time things will work out because I will solely drive my new career. At New Stars we took turns to write songs and do vocals and that led to power struggles.

“I had lost the passion to lead a group but hard times have left me with no option but take the bold decision to single-handedly take an adventure in this music jungle.”

Shiga Shiga said, when Peter took over leadership at Utakataka Express, he came with his ideas that did not tally with the way they worked with Dhewa.

He refers to Peter as a new president with his own ideas of running a nation that had been hinged on some established traditions for a long time.

Shiga Shiga  said he approached Energy Mutodi looking for employment because he saw a future of haggling with Peter.

He always has a light way of describing how he left Peter for Mutodi together with Spencer Kumulani and Guyson Sixpence.

“We were bought like soccer players and I am proud of it because that is very rare in music. I do not think it will happen again.”

Shiga Shiga was referring to an arrangement that saw Mutodi paying a fee to get Peter’s band members.

“That arrangement was proposed by a promoter who told Mutodi it was morally incorrect for him to snatch band members from a young man who was trying to establish himself after his father’s death. Many people had sympathy for Peter that time and the separation had to be amicable.”

Shiga Shiga’s arrival at Mutodi’s band came with good prospects. He was given a car and the first days were exciting because they were well-paid. But the joy was short lived after Mutodi was involved in a number of legal battles and also got his foot into politics, which left him with little time for the band.

“He became busy with politics and many other things. I realised things would get worse when he was arrested.  I have a family to look after and I realised I had to move on.

“I approached him and we discussed the issue and I left the band. Bev wanted someone to work with and I joined her.

“To tell the truth, it was a desperate move. I just wanted food on the table. I have to pay rent and my children have to go to school.

“Things worked for a few days when I joined Bev but we started having problems involving remuneration. I sank into poverty again.”

Faced with such a situation Shiga Shiga made his great leap into the studio to start a solo career.