ALICK Macheso’s latest album, Tsoka Dzerwendo, has gone viral on social media after briefly dodging piracy when it was released on the market at $1 a copy through what at first had appeared a water-tight process presided over by Jive Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society.
BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
A snap survey by NewsDay has revealed that people had become accustomed to pirated music that they were not eager to part with $1 and were now accessing the album from friends via WhatsApp and Facebook.
Macheso’s manager Tich Makahamadze said despite the setback, loyal fans who appreciated good quality music were buying hard copy original CDs.
“We have our loyal fans who understand that for a musician like Macheso to survive he needs their support and those with such a mentality are buying the CDs. Distributing the album via WhatsApp is a disgrace,” Makahamadze said.
“Since we promised our fans that the album would be available in different formats, including online, to cater for fans in the Diaspora and cassettes, we are now working on the production of the cassettes to fulfil our promises.”
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Makahamadze said they are working hard to ensure the album is readily available countrywide, admitting that demand was high.
Several people confirmed to NewsDay that they are transferring songs on the album to their friends and relatives after ripping the CD and storing it on their computers, laptops flash sticks, memory cards and smartphones.
“I just made sure I bought the original CD for $1 and that is enough for my friends. We can’t all be buying the same CD,” said Joshua Bhaureni of Sunningdale.
Mkululi Ncube of Houghton Park said a friend had sent him the album via WhatsApp. “It’s now on my flash and I am playing the music in my car,” he said.
A cellphone dealer plying his trade in Mbare said the album has brought brisk business, as he was cashing in on it since several people are approaching him to load the songs onto their mobile phones and flash sticks.
Music dealers in Mutare and, of late, Harare, were making a killing after they made a clean sweep of virtually all the copies on offer and were now re-selling them at $2.
Jive Zimbabwe, who have organised the massive launch of the album today at the giant Harare International Conference Centre, have expressed disappointment at the development.
“It is unfortunate that people are circulating the music on WhatsApp. We appeal to fans not to circulate the songs, but do the honourable thing and buy original music and thus supporting our artistes,” Jive Zimbabwe director Benjamin Nyandoro said.
He said they will be an entertainment galore at the launch, featuring about six surprise top acts across genres.
Munenzva Bus Company has pledged free transport to ferry Macheso’s fans from high-density suburbs like Glen Norah, Budiriro, Highfield and Glen View.
The rampant piracy of music CDs in the country is said to have fuelled massive job losses in the country’s entertainment industry with over 2 000 jobs losses recorded, according to Trade Union for Music and Arts Industry.
Several top recording companies such as Gramma, Ngaavongwe and Diamond Studios and many music distribution companies, which used to employ thousands of people, were forced to downsize their workforce as business was now low due to the proliferation of piracy.