The Sunday News
WHILE sungura music has been more dominant in the northern parts of the country where it has taken hold and become almost the ‘‘national music’’, outfits that have emerged from the southern side of the country have struggled to penetrate that market.
While groups such as Ndolwane Super Sounds, Chase Skuza and Obadiah Matulane would like to give a different name to their music and call it tshibilika, it has overwhelming similarities with sungura in terms of instrumentation, presentation, dances and stage act.
Outfits from Matabeleland have struggled to make inroads and capture the sungura audience in Mashonaland but an emerging act based in Bulawayo is eager to breach the divide and win the hearts of sungura music lovers throughout the country.
New Lobengula-based Kupenya Stars is intent on making waves nationally and the reception they received from the audience during their performance at Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo made them bold in their aspiration.
The one-year-old group was received warmly when they took to Intwasa’s Main Stage that was at the City Hall Car Park, by the huge crowd that had thronged the venue, where entrance was free.
While they were making it to a big stage for the first time, they exuded confidence and showed composure as they presented their act, exhibiting their nimble footedness with well choreographed dances.
The multilingual sungura band, which sings in Kalanga, Ndebele and Shona lyrics, has no album to its name but one of the band members, Munyaradzi Chakudunga said they were brewing a scorcher in the studio, which would be out before the end of the year.
“We have several songs that we have composed in the past year but we have just made our way into the studio to record our first album which will mark our entrance to the music scene and introduce us to the world out there.
“The album is being recorded at House of Rising Sound Studios by Joe Maseko, an award winning producer, who we believe has the experience to bring out the best in us. We are in our final stages of recording with drums and some vocals being outstanding,” he said.
The five track album is yet to be named as they want to give the title song to what they would consider the best song. Tunes to be featured include Siyabonga, Bakhuzeni, Samasimba, Georgina and Nguva.
Chakudunga said sharing the stage with seasoned artists such as Chase Skuza, Ndux Junior and Ramsey K showed them they have what it takes to be among the best, adding they were ecstatic with the crowd’s response.
He said they were previously used to being cheered on by a handful of fans at their usual venues, beer halls and playing in front of hundreds was enthralling adding they were not intimidated by the numbers hence their polished act.
Being added to the lineup of the Beitbridge International Festival of the Arts (Bifa) was another nod they feel lays their path to bigger things in the music industry.
Bifa took place last weekend in the border town and the group managed to put up a polished act.
Chakudunga said like their name, Kupenya, which means shining in Shona, they were intent on becoming a beacon in the sungura scene and the country’s music industry.
The group is made up of Kenneth Sikhosana who plays the lead guitar while Mehluli Mlilo is on percussion with Simbarashe Nyoni strumming the bass guitar; Alex Rororo plays the drums and Tinashe Mhangami on rhythm guitar.
Nomore Allah Sibanda does the lead vocals and is backed by Pedzisai Chiwande, Thembelani Dhladhla, Obey Muvoti and Chakudunga while Passmore Mupeyiwa is the dancer along with the backing vocalists.
