BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
FOR Afro-fusion musician Ammi Jamanda, just sharing the stage with Chimurenga music legend Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo — who recently flew back to his United States base after a national tour that began last year — would have been good enough.
But she got more than she had bargained for after Mukanya featured on her single, Ruva Rangu.
She described the musician as a father figure and mentor determined to unravel and shore-up talent among the country’s young musicians.
Jamanda told NewsDay Life & Style that collaborating with Mukanya and rubbing shoulders with him on stage was a dream come true.
“I am happy to be the first Zimbabwean artiste to have a collaboration with the legend Mukanya. He gave me the song to re-record and I asked him to feature on it so I would not drift from the original version of the song. I released it on my birthday as it was a present Mukanya gave to me,” she said.
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“My producer Maselo helped me throughout. More songs are coming with the legend on my next project, Gata Rinoshura Materu. Mukanya is a father and a mentor. If you go with your music (to him), he listens and points out where you need to improve.”
The songbird said hard work was the secret behind her success, even if it meant juggling multiple obligations.
“The secret to my success is hard work. I am a hard-working woman who puts more effort in my career because as I try to balance family and my job I try to get the best out of me,” she said.
“I am always willing to learn and I am never moved by being criticised.”
Jamanda, backed by Rythmz of Africa, released her debut six-track album Ndozvidemba in 2015, which explores themes of domestic violence, child marriage and abuse.