Maskanda launches album in Bulawayo

HE is well-known in South Africa, known in Bulawayo and little known elsewhere in the country and yet he is very much Zimbabwean. This is the tale of vibrant Maskanda muso Mxolisi Mavundla known in South African music circles as Zinjaziyamluma, moreso, because he dedicated much of his music career to that country. However, after four years of making headlines in the South African music scene, Zinjaziyamluma finally decided to dedicate his fourth album named Competition of jealous to his Zimbabwean fans.

He launched his new Maskanda also known as Mbaqanga album at the National Arts Gallery in Bulawayo last week for the first time in the country on Saturday last week.

"I appreciate the support that the people of Bulawayo have shown. It is a very cold day but they came in their numbers to support my album launch," said Zinjaziyamluma.

The launch was graced by artistes and arts personnel such as Raisedon Baya, Jeys Marabini and William Nyandoro who expressed his joy in seeing the artiste who has made it big outside the country actually coming back home to launch his album in the country.

"I am really grateful of what Zinjaziyamluma has done, I really appreciate artistes coming back home to release their albums and work with other local artistes," said Nyandoro who is the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe provincial arts officer.

Zinjaziyamluma also received words of advice from veteran local artist Marabini who encouraged him not to look down on his fans or be hateful to other artistes.

"The music industry is not for the faint hearted, to survive you should appreciate those who despise you, for they encourage you to work harder. You should not be jealousy or hate other artistes, the music industry is not a battle field just aim at producing better quality music and be a role model to those that follow you," said Marabini.

In an interview Zinjaziyamluma noted that the 15-track album was named after he noted the fact that people always find ways to despise what someone else does despite how good it was.

"I named this album Competition of jealous after I noticed that some people do not appreciate the good work that other people do because of jealousy. However, the name of the album is not specifically directed to anyone, it is just a social commentary," he said.

To show that he has not abandoned his roots, Zinjaziyamluma dedicated a song to Highlanders and Tsholotsho Football Club his home team which got the Iziqholo zezhwane fans and some of the players and the coach Lizwe Sweswe who were at the launch buoyant.

"Our Ndebele culture is a bit lost thus we left the country to pursue our careers in Imbube which is also known as Isicathamiya and Maskanda in South Africa because it is where the culture revolves," said Zinjaziyamluma.

The 34-year-old was born in Tsholotsho, the home of Iziqholo zezhwane in Mguzana area. He is a product of an Imbube group known as Inkanyezi Zezulu which also broke away from a renowned local group Impumelelo Shining Stars.

In 2013, Zinjaziyamluma decided to stand on his own feet and he formed his own band. He was nominated twice for the best newcomer awards in the South Africa Volunteers Awards and South Africa Traditional Music Awards in the same year after the release of his album Kobandayo.

The launch was also supported by other local South Africa-based artistes such as Amabhukudwane led by Kezi-born Chris Buqilibentethe Ncube.