The Sunday News
Lance Chigodo, Sunday Leisure Reporter
ALTHOUGH she is born in a celebrated music family, Selmor Mtukudzi said her background never gave her a ticket to success in the industry, attributing her achievements to her husband Tendai Manatsa, her sheer determination and hard work than to being daughter to internationally acclaimed music superstar Oliver Mtukudzi.
As the daughter of a great muso, many may believe that Selmor owes her success to her father. No. She claims that she went through all the challenges and ropes that any other musician with no music background goes through on their way up the ladder adding that it made her quite strong.
Yes, she admits the name Mtukudzi is known internationally but said that was as far as it took her — to be known as the name needed no introduction in the music circles.
Selmor (31) is well known for her great hits Nguva Yangu in her album entitled Expression which was also nominated Song of the year in the National 2013 Arts Merits Awards (Nama).
Recently she received an arts category award with the Women Enterprise Conference and Awards (WECA) held by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) a week ago in Harare.
In an interview with Sunday Leisure, Selmor spoke of how she felt after being recognised by ZNCC.
“I feel so humbled and honoured to have been nominated for such an award. The ZNCC is a huge organisation and for them to even recognise that I am there and also appreciate what I’m doing is quite humbling. I feel so blessed right now,” she said.
According to her carrying the Mtukudzi name gained her very little. She said as an ambitious woman she learnt to stand on her own feet and to live a life that was independent of her father. She said the idea of not relying on her father for anything gave her the impetus to work and moulded her to be the woman that she has become.
Selmor stated that much of her success could be attributed to her untiring and ever encouraging husband and soul mate Tendai Manatsa who is also the son of a great musician, Zexie Manatsa.
The songbird said she was blessed to be born and married into a musical family saying it provided a stepping stone in some areas of her life since because of that music as music “comes naturally” to her while she also got support from her husband as he understands the challenges of the art.
“Being born and married into a musical family has given me the freedom to be who I am and be able to express myself in whatever way I feel. It is quite a blessing,” she said.
Selmor also apportioned more credit for her achievements in life to God saying that without the divine intervention in her work she was not going to be where she is.
“I owe my success to God, my husband and the hard work we’ve put in. But mainly its God,” said Selmore.
And to show the support, Tendai was also by her side when she received the WECA awards to celebrate her achievements. The two lovebirds are seen together at many occasions and Selmor has not been reluctant to share their experiences on social media.
“Tendai has been there with me through it all. There is no me without him. So yes, he has been my rock, my pillar, my strength and my everything. He has stood with me during the good and bad times and I greatly appreciate it,” she added.
The music couple has three children Ben, Troy and Hannah and their careers seem to be flourishing as they have been making great strides in the industry.
Asked how she balances the two — music and family, Selmor responded; “I don’t have a formular for balancing anything in my life. I just try as best as I can to make sure that everything that needs to be done is done and on time. And my principle has always been that of prioritising my things. The most important things are always given first preference and in this case it is always the family, then my career but both are working perfectly well for me,” she said.
