SUNGURA musician Solomon Sadadzi has exhorted parents to support their children’s talents, arguing that they can prove to be lifelines.
Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style, the Chitungwiza-born singer said many parents were stuck in long-held beliefs that saw nothing good in artistic creativity, especially music yet African tradition actually supported it.
“Parents must accept the reality of their children’s unfolding talents,” he said.
“They should strive to support their career choices, whatever these are and should never dissuade them from pursuing their career ambitions since it ruins their future.”
He added that countries such as the United States showed how cultural industries could contribute to a country's gross domestic product.
“For obvious reasons, they just hate and rubbish their children’s career pursuits, at times when the talent starts budding.
“But look at the US, for example. We are heavy consumers of cultural products from there, including music and film,” said Sadadzi, adding that what he went through as a youngster was very tough to the extent that he almost gave up.
“At a very tender age of around seven, I was already able to craft a makeshift guitar using empty oil tins, fishing twine and log tuners.
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“However, in no time, I realised that my parents and other children were against my musical career, forcing me to hide my guitar. They soon found out and destroyed the instrument.
“That incident, though painful, made me stronger musically. For those who want to try their luck with music, remember: Forward ever, backwards never.”
Some might prefer to refer to it as endurance.
However, the term perseverance might be the most appropriate when describing the journey Sadadzi has travelled.
His parents and other family members did not want him to dabble to music, which he had started to pursue at a very tender age but he continued until he recorded albums that include Manzvakenzvake (2008) and Genuine Case (2014).
Despite earlier setbacks, including falling sick about a year ago, Sadadzi is set to release two singles, Kavere vere and Hupenyu as a follow-up to the three albums he released prior.
The singer is polishing up the Kavere vere video.
The two songs hinge on Sadadzi’s life experiences, which he has shared openly.
He fell sick at some point and thought he would never be able to rise again, but according to the singer, divine intervention saved him as he passionately narrates in Kavere vere.
Sadadzi, who fuses jazz and traditional beats, was born in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe’s third-largest urban settlement by population, on September 23, 1973, as the seventh born in a family of eight.
His major push towards making a name in the music industry came between 1989 and 1990 when he formed the Black Tune Band, together with bassist Christopher Muchabaiwa and Hilton Marowa with the intention to record music.
Muchabaiwa later joined exiled Chimurenga legend Thomas Mapfumo, while Marowa relocated to Switzerland, thwarting the project’s take-off.
However, Sadadzi did not give up after the setback, but went on to work with Clive Malunga on the latter’s highly-successful video Nesango in 1996.
Although pursuing a solo career, Sadadzi has had a number of collaborations, including the single Waireketa, which eventually became the only original composition on the 2012 project Tribute to Tobias Areketa, done with Alexio Kawara, Victor Kunonga and Roki, among others.
Sadadzi’s other single, Machena, projects a renewed interest in the jazz genre.
