POOR music sales, unpaid royalties and the absence of venues for music shows that has left local musicians no more than paupers have not dampened accomplished producer Macdonald “Macdee” Chidavaenzi’s resolve to continue producing music.
BY KENNEDY NYAVAYA
However, he bemoaned the absence of structures to promote creativity despite the abundant talent in the country.
“Music is very psychological (and) if you are not happy you cannot be creative. We do not have a (music) industry because every source of income that the musician has to their disposal has been tampered with, from the sales which are affected by sales to unpaid royalties and lack of venues, which are continuously closing down,” Macdee told NewsDay.
Macdee’s break into the local music scene was necessitated by the hit he produced for Alexio titled Musikana Akanaka back in 2004. The producer has never backed down since then and is still growing strong even after the era of Urban Grooves music has ostensibly died a natural death.
Macdee has produced more than 1 000 tracks – many of which became local club bangers and chart topping singles — with different artistes in various genres.
He recently started the Eternity New Generation project to promote upcoming gospel musicians and is currently nurturing aspiring producers in a bid to revive the dying sector.
Last week, the Eternity music recording studio boss started an internet radio streaming line for his stable to promote all the music he has produced.
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“What I noticed is that it takes a trendsetter for people to see the light, somebody needs to set the pace then from there you know everyone is going to open their eyes and see that this is an interesting idea,” he said, adding that his project had received massive appreciation online and had been accessed by people from over 27 countries.
The radio streaming will include open the flow for fans to link with the artistes and help local music lovers and those in the Diaspora to listen to music that does not get airplay due to limited time on radio slots.
He has gained extensive ground as a producer based on pure talent but he is set to take a two-year sabbatical to go for school overseas soon and has urged his colleagues who did not train for the art to do so to match international standards.
“I am planning to take a two-year sabbatical to go and learn more about producing so I can catch up on the international level because I refuse to be the person who thinks that they know it all,” Macdee said.
He is in awe after local Jazz songstress Selmor Mtukudzi was nominated in the hottest female singer of the year category for the Africa Entertainment Awards with the song tilted Nguva Yangu, which he produced.
To top off all his successes, he was also endorsed as the ambassador of Get Online Africa recently. He has promised to keep producing hits as he has done in the past and making local music interesting by promoting upcoming artistes.
Although he has been criticised often times for exorbitant pricing of his services, he said his charges were reasonable for a musician investing in a good quality product.
“There are times you have to suffer a bit and even go broke after a dry spell, but I would rather sleep or watch television for the whole day until an artiste willing to pay comes and then I can fully devote my time and effort to produce a quality product,” he said.
Macdee also said his lifestyle was characterised mostly by music and socialising with other artistes which gives him new ideas to make better music.
“If I hear any nice song which is better than what I have done in the past, I study it and see why it is better than mine and this is not to steal ideas but it helps me to become more creative,” said the award-winning producer who is set to marry his longtime lover anytime this year.
