As Winky D turned 43 on February 1, he took his legion of fans on a nostalgic journey back to his 2016 hit song 25 through a reflective birthday message.
His message mirrors the “Gafa’s” signature style — focusing on the struggles of the common man and connecting deeply with those who have missed the milestones traditionally associated with the “25” mark.
In his message, Winky D shared:
“...I continue to wish that my music resides within those states despite missing the ‘25’ mark.”
In the song 25, Winky D laments the “quarter-life crisis” faced by many Zimbabweans.
The lyrics describe the specific dream of achieving a stable life — a house, a car, and financial security — by age 25.
By admitting that even as a superstar, the “25 mark” remains elusive for many, he affirms his role as the voice for those who feel they have failed to meet life's expected milestones due to economic decline.
By stating his music “resides within those states,” he promises to remain a vessel for the unheard.
“Is there any innate dignity to frustration, inadequacy, a broken heart and difficulty?” he goes on to pose a question in his message.
The song 25 is essentially a catalog of inadequacy. Winky D asks if there is honour in “the hustle” when it fails to pay off.
He validates the feelings of ordinary people, those who do everything right yet are met with a “broken heart” by the economy.
He suggests that while these experiences are painful, there is a shared human dignity in enduring them.
Perhaps the most powerful part of his message is his take on persistence, Winky D says...
“Your support continues to teach me that frustration is evidence that a soul is still functional.”
In 25, the frustration is palpable. It is a song about the agony of waiting for a breakthrough delayed by “the system”.
He flips the script on the typical birthday celebration, instead of celebrating success, he celebrates the resilience of his fans.
He argues that if you are frustrated by economic decline or missed dreams, it means you haven't given up — your soul is still awake and functional.
Winky D has consistently rejected the “celebrity” pedestal, preferring to speak as one of the youth in the ghetto.
As he notes: “...as ordinary people we are obliged to recognise one another’s co-existence in the true sense of ubuntu.”
This message reinforces that he is not “above” his listeners.
Using the concept of ubuntu, he explains that his birthday is not just an individual milestone, but a reflection of the collective experience of a people surviving together.
Winky D is essentially saying that he is still the man from the song 25.
Despite his fame, he remains tethered to the reality of the Zimbabwean struggle.
He is thanking his fans for allowing him to be frustrated with them, rather than just performing for them.
Four years ago, Winky D sampled a track titled 40, which plays on the adage that “life begins at 40”.
Though yet to be officially released, the song offers a beacon of hope to those who missed the “25” mark, suggesting that it is never too late for change and that growth continues well into maturity.