IN a move meant to curb piracy of his forthcoming album, sungura ace Alick Macheso has stopped performing the unreleased songs at his live shows until the album has been officially released.
KELVIN BENJAMIN OWN CORRESPONDENT
This comes barely a week after some of his songs on the yet to be released album had been recorded by phones from his concerts and released onto the streets.
Some of these songs include Ane Bhora Ndiye Anomakwa and Gomo Iri Iguru.
In an interview on the sidelines of his performance at New Life Night Club in Budiriro on Friday night, the Madhawu hit-maker said despite the fact that most of his fans were now craving for his new songs, he had made the decision to save his work from piracy.
“The only way out to save my forthcoming album is not performing the songs. If we ask our fans not to use their phones during the performances, it disadvantages us,” Macheso said.
Macheso, who performed for a solid seven hours on the night, never played any of the new songs, but just teasers of a few lines.
As was expected, he took time to mock the people who pirated the new songs during the performance.
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“Iri kutenderera iyoyi ndakainzwa ichirohwa, but mudhosvo, ndichakurovera kana mamemory card enyu azara. (I heard the music that is circulating and it is fake. I will play the real one when your phone memory cards are full)” he said.
During their performance, the Orchestra Mberikwazvo band would occasionally swing from the sungura genre to reggae.
Interestingly, Macheso made a sudden U-turn from the speculations that he was working on a dancehall track.
“If I venture into dancehall, we will outplay these youngsters and they will end up complaining. Mberikwazvo can play any type of music, but for now, we will remain in the sungura genre. Those reports that I am now into dancehall are no true,” the sungura maestro said.
Macheso managed to keep the revellers on their toes the whole night with his yester-year hits.
Songs like Shedia and Monalisa helped in maintaining the jovial tempo throughout the night.
The crowd could not resist these sumptuous hits resulting in singing along.
The Mberikwazvo band members took turns to showcase their talent with the dancers showing their dancing prowess by performing the Chikopokopo dance which requires a lot energy and flexibility.
Macheso could not be left out from the “talent show” as he spent the last hour of his performance playing his guitar without any vocals supporting the act.
The move attracted the fans who could be seen fishing out cash from their pockets and throwing it at the guitarist and his aid was kept busy picking up the notes.
Despite the late decision to perform in Budiriro after the cancellation of a Masvingo show, the musician attracted a fair crowd which impressed the proprietor.
“As you know, Macheso was supposed to be in Masvingo. So we did not expect such a huge turnout and also the weather is not favourable, but I am impressed,” proprieter Fidelis Ngove said.
