The Sunday News
Music fans would have been forgiven for not noticing the entrance of Thobekile Nleya into the scene last year after Jah Prayzah’s acrimonious split from his main backup singer, Pamela “Gonyeti” Zulu.
The dust raised by Gonyeti’s abrupt departure was as blinding as it was confusing. Jah Prayzah fans not only had to come to terms with the fact that he had lost his crown jewel in the Third Generation band, but they also had to contend with the fact that she was also accusing him of being a shameless sexual predator.
Long standing ties were severed and bridges were reduced to ashes as, instead of sitting around the table and coming up with an amicable solution, insults and accusations were traded by both camps.
Into the eye of this perfect storm flew Thobekile Nleya, who was announced as a replacement a few days after the departure of Gonyeti. After being plucked from a crop of hopefuls who turned up to an audition with dreams of becoming a part of Jah Prayzah’s famous act, the name Thobekile Nleya was immediately stripped from her as she was reborn as Excavator.
Excavator satisfied all the criteria of a Jah Prayzah supporting lady. Not only was she gifted as a vocalist, but she was also voluptuous, and she was thus given a stage name befitting a woman of her figure. Thobekile Nleya was dead and in her place, although occupying the same body, Excavator had stepped in.
However, Nleya had her own issues to contend with. After her selection, rumours began circulating that the 28-year-old was the daughter of a prominent pastor in Bulawayo.
Rumour mongers and social media detectives immediately went into overdrive and their findings revealed that the woman now known as Excavator was the daughter of Pastor Kamba Nleya of Family of Covenant Church, a breakaway congregation from Family of God.
The whispers did not end there. Rumour had it at the time that Pastor K as her father is known, was not too happy with his daughter’s sudden change of direction. After all, she was a promising gospel musician. Nonetheless, according to Excavator, the decision to turn to turn to circular music was not premeditated but came to her out of the blue.
“I didn’t decide (to turn secular). The opportunity just presented itself and I took it,” she said in an interview with Sunday Life. “Like I said before it wasn’t inspired by anything but it was just a case of mere opportunity”.
If there is one thing that the recent criticism Fungisai Zvakavapano got is that the road from gospel to circular music is not an easy one to walk. Like her more famous counterpart, Excavator discovered that the way she is viewed by fellow church members changed immediately when she became another camouflage wearing disciple of Jah Prayzah’s Third Generation band.
“I think the congregation’s attitude towards me changed because people treat me differently now. I guess it’s because they don’t understand that this is just a job and it hasn’t changed me at all,” she said.
Months after she made her decision, the singer is still not comfortable discussing how her father reacted to the news that she was going to join Jah Prayzah. However, she still has fond memories of the hours that she spent with him when she was still fine tuning her voice.
“I think I was in Grade Three when I started singing with a children’s choir in church. I eventually discovered the power of my voice in church. I remember spending hours and hours singing with my dad at the basement of our church polishing our craft,” she said.
Despite her switch to secular music, she still has fond memories of her days as a gospel singer, naming a performance with Rebecca Malope as a stand-out in her abandoned gospel career.
“I think the best of the best was sharing the stage with Rebecca Malope. That was truly amazing,” said Excavator.
Despite the misgivings of some, Excavator knew the magnitude of working with Jah Prayzah. Although uneasy about the future, the former choir girl decided to put her best foot forward and take a plunge into the deep and uncertain world of circular music.
After all, nesting under the wing of the country’s biggest act is not the worst place for a budding back-up singer to find shelter.
“I was very excited and at the same time I was scared of the unknown. You know how it is when you start heading towards a different direction. There is always that feeling,” she said.
Fear of the unknown aside, Excavator was also faced with other challenges. A Jah Prayzah performance is an energy sapping affair that requires all the performers to give their all. So physically demanding are the performances that Excavator remembers breaking down into tears after one particularly grueling episode.
“I had always loved dancing but adjusting to his style of dancing was the most difficult thing. Luckily the boys Congo and Mbera really helped. I remember one time they made me dance so much and my feet were hurting and I went to the toilet to go and cry because my body just couldn’t take it anymore. However, now I’m as fit as ever,” she said.
While most children want to emulate their parents, Excavator does not see herself becoming a pastor like her father one day.
“No, I don’t see myself going into ministry. Being a pastor is a calling you don’t just decide to be one. Trust me, that’s one difficult job. You’ve to have a true calling to go down that road,” she said.
Despite ruling out the possibility of following her father to the pulpit, Excavator believes there’s a possibility that sometime in the future she might start singing from the hymn book as his congregants by returning to gospel music.
“If God permits I will. You know what they say about your first love,” she said.
