The Sunday News
Bruce Chimani Sunday Leisure Correspondent
HER soothing sweet mellow voice, coupled with a majestic and alluring stage presence iced with energetic dance moves mesmerised the audience at the Shangano Arts and Culture Festival, held in Lupane recently.Ivy Khoma, a Victoria Falls born artiste could be taking the music industry by storm, judging by her past performances.
Ivy was tipped to be a force to reckon with in the music industry after taking part in the Star Open Mic Set competition.
At the age of 27, Ivy has managed to break into the male dominated industry through her traditional music style which aims at preserving African identity which she said was being threatened and pushed to the periphery by Western culture.
She said it was sad that culture was left to die as most of the young artistes tend to focus their energy on doing contemporary music with a Western influence as opposed to promoting their own culture and identity as did Chiwoniso Maraire and Mbuya Stella Chiweshe.
“Most of my peers don’t get it because they want to adopt foreign types of art and I have chosen to preserve my culture and roots through my music and artistry,” she said.
At a time when most young artistes are adopting music styles such as RnB, hip-hop and house, Ivy said she preferred to do music that represented her identity.
“One of the challenges as an up and coming artiste who does traditional African arts is that people will always attach our art with the worship of ancestors and assume we do not believe in God.
“I have been to churches and have been told that I have to change what I do – and that kind of judgement is really offensive as it takes no cognisance of our culture and identity as a people. It seeks to glorify Western cultures ahead of local ones.
“I don’t get it such type of criticism at home in Victoria Falls but I do get it in some places where I go. It’s really disheartening – people are clearly misinformed and they want nothing to do with their own culture and art from Africa. According to them it’s an unfathomable evil to do traditional music and dance,” she said.
Ivy started music at Baobab Primary School in the resort town of Victoria Falls where she grew to love art. With inspiration from various ends, she saw herself having a future pursuing art.
In 2003 she worked with a group called Biem and they released an album before she worked with Vuka Africa and then later on Ingwenyama.
She currently works as a lead singer with a group called Inkume.
“I am looking forward to working on making my name big. I don’t do this for money but just so that I build myself up through something that I love. I have many shows to attend and most of my influence might actually be outside of our borders,” said Ivy.
