The Sunday News
Ndumiso Mlilo
A South African-based Zimbabwean music producer, Darlington Sibanda, has signed distribution and marketing deals with Italian and American record labels.
The deal that was signed this week will see the Zimbabwean singer breaking onto the international market.
Sibanda (25) told Sunday Leisure that he will be releasing his single track titled MaRands nemaDollazz to the international market.
He signed the deal with United States-based Proton Music which has 800 sub labels. Sibanda said, “This week I signed a licensing and distribution deal with Proton Music. This is my major breakthrough musically and I am happy about it. It is not easy to get noticed in this industry and things are starting to pay off for me. Those guys were impressed with my beats. I was surprised that they liked my songs which are sung in Ndebele. It’s true that music is the universal language.”
He also revealed that he was working on another tribal house single to be released internationally.
Sibanda also signed another licensing and distribution deal with an Italian record label, Avion Ground Records.
“A deal like this means a lot to me, one day I am hoping to go and perform in those countries. This is the beginning of greater things to come,” he said.
Mkhululi Ncube, the artiste’s manager, said the deal would assist Sibanda to grow musically. Ncube, who secured the deal for the house artiste and is the founder of Deep City Records, said the young artiste had the potential to reach greater heights if he remained disciplined and not let popularity get into his head.
“We sent a master copy to the USA guys and they responded within three days saying they want to sign a deal with us. While I knew the music was good, I did not expect a deal so fast. This deal means a lot of people would listen to his music now that he is on the international scene.”
He said Momonya Records from Columbia have also sent a contract for their signature but said they were still considering the Columbian contract.
He also revealed that the artiste would get more than 71,43 percent of music sales done by Proton Records. He also reluctantly said that the 800 labels under Proton will have access to the music and if they remix it, Sibanda will get more than 20 percent of sales.
The manager also said they will remain owners of the song. Part of the email from Eric Ross of Proton Records reads, “I really like the sound you are doing in South Africa. Keep up the good work . . .”
The Deep City Founder also praised the young artiste’s hard work and discipline. The Hwange-born singer and producer will be holding shows in his home town and Bulawayo this month or early summer.
The song MaRands nemaDollazz encourage youngsters not to wait for hand-outs from the Government but to work hard to make it in life. Sibanda featured in Lazy-T’s 2007 single titled Amai. He also featured in Noxa’s single and did adverts for Dairiboard. In South Africa he released his single Batai Munhu which attacks those doing corruption.
