Up-and-coming sungura artiste, Tongai Obert Moyo is in the studio working on his debut album with the hope to revive Dhewa Music.
Tongai Jnr, the second son of the late great Tongai Moyo to enter the music scene, burst onto the music scene last year when he released two singles.
He recorded Dzinza Rinokosha and the popular Cain and Abel with the assistance of former Utakataka Express bass man, now Orchestra Vazvamburi frontman, Ronnie Mudhindo.
To follow up the singles, Tongai Jnr is now working on his debut album which he hopes to release by April.
“We’re busy in the studio working on our first album titled Toita Izvozvo. We’re hoping to have released the album by April if all goes according to plan,” said Tongai Jnr.
He said the album consists of six tracks, VaMoyo, Julie, Dhewa Vedu, Titambe Ngoma, Mukadzi Aibuda Ropa and Usasiiwe Nenguva. A bonus track, Tsoka Yerudo will be added.
In order to ensure the album is top notch, Tongai Jnr said he is working with Jabulani Ndlovu of True Tone Music studio as well as Alick Macheso’s Alena Records.
Although the artiste assembled his own Utakataka Express outfit, former lead guitarist Willard Loti and drummer Musaope Jenitala will bring their expertise to the album.
Quizzed about his relationship with his brother Peter who he was alleged to have clashed with over their late father’s legacy, Tongai Jnr said they were now on talking terms.
“We’re good now as we’ve mended our relationship. It’s purely at family level and I respect him as my brother. The relationship remains at family level and not on business level. That means he’s doing his own music and I’m doing my own,” said Tongai Jnr.
On the no-holds-barred verbal assault track Cain and Abel, Tongai Jnr, in apparent reference to his brother, chided and mocked him, likening him to Cain. Commenting on this track which many fans concluded was directed at Peter, Tongai Jnr said it was mere coincidence.
“I didn’t sing it for anyone. It was just a song that I wrote about brothers who do not see eye to eye, but it was not directed at anyone,” he said.
Tongai Jnr relocated to South Africa soon after the demise of his father in 2011 and returned in 2019 to ‘revive Dhewa music’ which he claimed Peter was running down.
It is all eyes on his debut offering with fans impatiently waiting to see if Tongai Jnr will indeed revive Dhewa music.-chronice.co.zw
