The Sunday News
Sunday Leisure Correspondent
AT just 21, up-and-coming songbird Cynthia Dube is on the verge of breaking into the music industry, with her latest offering Ndarama, featuring Mzoe 7, being anticipated to be a chart blazer.
Her premature entry into the industry was at Casper Nyovest show, where, despite being little known, she managed to thrill the crowd.In an interview, she said despite the tumbling fortunes the music industry in Bulawayo is facing, she hoped to make it big.
She recently joined local house music stable — Defined House, where she could sit as the stable’s queen.
“I am willing to work and I believe Bulawayo has the capacity to go to greater lengths in the entertainment industry. Bulawayo’s entertainment industry is not growing because there is a serious lack of resources. If you compare the industry to our Harare counterparts, you will realise there is a major difference because they have more studios and requisite equipment,” she said.
Dube said what was killing the industry was backyard studios, which many artistes were resorting to.
“Most artistes resort to backyard studios because of lack of funds and proper licensed studios. This is killing the industry, despite that fact I hope to make a breakthrough and conquer the industry,” she said.
Joining Defined House could likely see her propel not just herself but the stable as well, as she possesses a melodious and hypnotic voice that can sooth even the heart of an angry giant.
Groups are known to be fragile especially if there are no financial rewards coming out of live shows, but Cynthia said she was not concerned about financial rewards at the moment as more concern was on growing a fan base.
“I joined the group last year. I met Thokozani with an idea to collaborate and it led to me joining the group. When I sang to them they liked my voice and from then on, we have managed to record our music,” she said.
Although house music is more popular in South Africa, Defined House manager Thokozani Tshabangu said they sought to create an entertainment culture that would see people have an appreciation of house music in Bulawayo.
With their experience and collaboration with music greats in the form of DJ Pepsi from the Kalawa Jazmee records, he said they hoped to take the music to another level.
“We want to create an entertainment culture that will be appreciated by many in Bulawayo. House music has been more popular in South Africa but we want people to have more appreciation for the music,” he said.
Lack of sponsorship from the corporate world has hampered most musicians’ fortunes, but there is still a ray of hope for most musicians.
“We are not getting any support from the corporate world, but this has hampered our fortunes,” said Tshabangu.
It remains to be seen whether Cynthia will live to see her dream to fruition, given that the market has over the years proved to be difficult to please, resulting in talent being lost, while those in the industry are struggling to come up with a formula that will see their music appreciated fully.
