BY CARTER MAVHIZA
THE unmistakable mbira sound fused into the western pop music marks the diversification and rejuvenation of Cris Gera’s trajectory in the music industry. From the humble streets of Glen Norah township in Harare where he was born and bred, Cris also professionally known as “Cee Gee” has found a new home in Pitea, Sweden, and the music goes on!
Cris is a Zimbabwean recording artiste, activist, song writer, performer, vocalist and pianist. He is currently studying musicology at Framnäs Folkhögskola in Piteå.
His latest offering, a new single I Moved On, was recorded at Dalbackavägen Musik & Produktion and has markers of diversity in the musical circles without losing the Afro-centric tone. LIDIO/Grappa Records is one of the largest and oldest independent recording companies in Norway. His latest offering was funded by one of the giant music organisations in Sweden called BD POP and recorded by LIDIO/Grappa Records — a seasoned Norwegian (European) record label which signed him.
Cris won the Swift Sing Our Song Competition which was held on Star FM Zimbabwe on January 25, 2013.
Before he left Zimbabwe, he had successfully recorded and produced two albums Sango Rinopa Waneta and The Advice and a single, Chema Zimbabwe.His single, Mangwanani — Salibonani, was also a hit on the Power FM Top 10 hit lists in 2014.
Again, Cris did a single called Going Crazy with one of the country’s elite musicians ExQ and the single did very well on Power FM play chart between 2014 and 2015. He is not new in the showbiz industry although he has been off the local charts for a few years.
The social and political discourse of the Zimbabwean landscape influences Cris’ compositions although in the latest offering he endeavours to strike a balance between his current base and the local market.
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This effort to walk the fine line has brought about diversity into his music. Cris enjoyed a good working relationship with many music icons in the country and among them the late Andy Brown and Sam Mtukudzi.
Cris was, and still is, a huge admirer of the late Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi and he did a tribute song which was produced by one of Zimbabwe’s finest, prolific guitarists and music producers Clive “Mono” Mukundu in August 2019 in honour of the late superstar.
Cris claims that music is an inborn thing to him but he learnt a lot of skills indirectly from the great late Mtukudzi and directly from Alexio Kawara just to mention a few. Taking a step into the modern pop scene, Cris followed up last year’s politically significant album “Music In Me (Nziyo Dziri Mandiri) with the single, I Moved On He continues to create uplifting melodies, while telling a hopeful story of love and what comes after. The love theme that is a trademark on the Music in Me — Nziyo Dziri Mandiri album such as Rudo Kechipiri and Why Do You Have to Cheat? is given a western pop amplification with a melody to those with a musical ecochamber.
The new single is receiving amazing and commendable airplay on most Swedish and Norwegian radio stations and has earned Cris a title “Verkans Färsking” meaning (the week’s fresh and hot song/artist) on P4 Norr Sveriges Radio.
The “Verkans Färsking” title isn’t new to Cris. The first time was in September 2018 when he did a tribute song to his second home Piteå and the song is called Piteå För Alla. The sweet sound of the mbira on I Moved On connects Gerato his native Afro-Jazz identity although it is inextricably interwoven into the western pop style of music.
It took the efforts of his long-time musical friend, Alexio Kawara, to procure and send him the mbira to Sweden so that the jam we are listening to on YouTube could be birthed. Cris is married to Sophie and they are parents to three boys. He is a family man well rounded in strong kingdom belief system and values ethical approaches and initiatives as well as building meaningful relationships. He has many projects that he is working on that will be soon be on the market.
