BRANDING an artiste involves taking importance in both the lyrical content of a song and the wardrobe. A musician’s sense of dress tells a story about them besides the content of their music.
BY PRECIOUS CHIDA
Dressing is part of a brand development strategy by international music stars such as pop star Lady Gaga, whose style has become embedded into her identity.
Lady Gaga can turn anything into an outfit. She has been seen in everything from a “meat dress”, which she wore to the 2010 Video Music Awards on MTV, to a jacket made out of frogs, yet she continues to surprise people every day with her different outfits.
A few Zimbabwean artistes have adapted to the trend. The late sungura star, Tongai “Dhewa” Moyo, as well as Leonard Karikoga Zhakata have been reputed for their smart but “sophisticated” dress sense.
Dhewa started off being seen as a copycat of the late great Leonard Dembo, but later became one of the most sought-after musicians in the country after developing his own unique sound.
Despite him being popular because of his music, his wardrobe approach was one of the things that most people recognised him with, even those that were not interested in him were made aware of him.
Experts in the fashion industry have said clothing should allow the viewer to focus on the message, not compete for attention and reflect the environment in the scene not blend into or clash with the background and furnishings.
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Dhewa’s music and his dressing merged in such a way that the messages they carried related to the way he looked, together with his band.
The dressing continues to live on, as his son Peter “Young Igwe” Moyo took over his legacy and continued with his fashion sense.
Mbira princess, Hope Masike, also relates her dressing to her Afro-fusion music, as she always dresses in a cultural manner either on her videos or when performing on stage.
“The theme of the video or the performance inspires the way I dress,” Masike said. “Image is an important part of any brand. I represent my culture with a blend of both ancient and contemporary styles artistically.”
Masike said she has a number of designers from Zimbabwe, as well as those from different parts of the world that dress her.
Jah Prayzah and his Third Generation band are also known for their military dress code and style on stage.
Jah Prayzah is on record saying the dress sense was inspired by his childhood dream of becoming a soldier. However, he often dresses differently to suit the occasion, like he did during his joint performance with South Africa’s Mafikizolo at the Sendekera concert.
Aping himself along Jah Prayzah’s style, is Andy Muridzo and his Jeetaz Band, known as “Maofficer”, who also don military fatigues.
“When I grew up, I always wanted to be a police officer, but I was not good in mathematics and couldn’t go through with it, so when I became a musician I decided police title was my way to go as it would make my love for the force grow,” Muridzo said.
He said they were trying to modernise their uniform to make it unique to their brand.
However, even though the fashion and the music industry should work hand in hand, most local artistes are yet to take their dressing seriously.
“As Zimbabwean artistes, we do not take our celebrity life seriously, if all artistes could be like Winky D on how he handles his fame maybe we could be somewhere,” Muridzo said.
Kudzai Mukuku, upcoming musician, Paul Martin’s manager, said it was important for musicians to have their own stylists.
“Musicians as expected should have a designer or a stylist, who are responsible for their wardrobe but, however, most artists lack disposable income to afford it,” he said.
