Jah Prayzah Billed as guest star at Gonyeti album launch fails to turn up

Jah Prayzah’s former dancer and backing vocalist, Pamela “Gonyeti” Zulu, launched her debut album, One Day, on Thursday night at Dandaro Inn, Harare, barely two months after she “divorced” the Tsviriyo singer in controversial circumstances.

Strangely, Jah Prayzah, billed as the guest star on posters, was nowhere to be seen during the launch.

Dendera musician, Sulumani Chimbetu and songbird Diana Samkange, who were later joined on stage by other artistes, among them sungura musician, Peter “Igwe” Moyo, Kireni Zulu and Lady “Eriza” Storm supported the new solo artiste.

Harare mayor, Bernard Manyenyeni, who was the guest of honour, urged artistes to be united and promised to support Gonyeti.

Gonyeti’s manager, Filda Muchabaiwa, who managed Jah Prayzah for almost nine years, said her ward was a serious musician.

“Gonyeti is a very talented musician, whom I can describe as our own version of the late famous South African musician, Brenda Fassie,” she said.

Muchabaiwa said having launched the album, their focus was now on taking the album to the people through staging a series of live shows across the country.

In his remarks, Kireni Zulu said the journey that Gonyeti had started needed the support of both artistes and promoters to grow her career.

“(Lack of) instruments is a major drawback for upcoming artistes, so we need unity among us as artistes and our music promoters to help the upcoming muscians to realise their talent,” Kireni Zulu said.

The six-track album was produced at KBN Studios by Oscar Chamba,

Gonyeti, supported by her Horse Power band, features Chimbetu on the song Bande, while exhibiting her solo efforts on the other five tracks — Mafaro Chete, title track One Day, Ndakabva Kure, Chiwoniwoni and Ndinotenda.

A moment of silence was observed at the launch in honour of the late gospel diva, Joyce Simeti, who died on Tuesday afternoon at Arcadia Medical Centre.

Source-Newsday