Twenty-one years ago, Alexio Kawara (AK) was just a young man fresh out of high school with nothing but a pocket full of dreams and a heart full of songs.
He was hoping to make his dreams come true , hopping from one studio to the next , fingers crossed not quite sure if he would land a recording deal.
During those days, there were few recording studios in the country.
Gramma Studio’s and Metro were interested in Sungura and gospel music mostly.
And fees charged by Shed Studio was beyond the reach of many artists, including Kawara.
The only home studio was owned by Fortune Muparutsa. But, Muparutsa, had to really be floored to get him working with anyone.
Consequently, Kawara, in 1999, joined a group called Guess which had Delani Makhalima, Donda Khumalo and Brian Garikayi. Together they released the ‘Mother’s Day’ anthem ‘Amai’.
The following year, he went solo, recorded and released ‘Ndomhanya’, which was produced by Muparutsa.
From then on there was no looking back.
In 2008 he released his breakthrough single ‘Shaina’ , and just like that he became a household name as the song catapulted him to great heights.
Straight after, he put together a live music ensemble and entered the live music circuit where his brand has grown from strength to strength.
Business Times reporter, Patience Musa (PM) caught up with Kawara to discuss about his career, how he has coped with the severe impact of Covid-19 pandemic, how the deadly virus has changed the arts industry, his views on the arts industry in Zimbabwe, what the future holds for him and many other things.
Below are excerpts of the interview:
PM: How is Alexio Kawara the father and husband doing?
AK: I believe I am getting better as a dad and husband with experience
PM: How have you coped with Covid-19 pandemic?
AK: The pandemic has helped in a way. I believe a lot of musicians have managed to utilise the internet to reach out to a wider audience since online shows have become trendy. Many artists are seeing more opportunities online now than before.
PM: What has the pandemic taught you about life?
Covid 19 has taught me not to take life for granted. Personally, I have discovered I can do more with my art that I knew. I have taken this opportunity to work on my artistry by improving my musical skills. This is a good season to plant in my career.
PM: How has Covid 19 affected the way you do your business?
AK: The pandemic has helped in a way. I believe a lot of musicians have managed to utilise the internet to reach out to a wider audience since online shows have become trendy. Many artists are seeing a more opportunities online now than before.
PM: What has Covid-19 changed in the music industry?
AK: I see us utilising the internet more to distribute our music and showcasing our art .We are now aiming at getting more numbers, more followership on social media so that we stay relevant for partnerships with the cooperate world, mainly.
PM: In your view, do you think ‘remote’ shows will continue even after Covid-19 has been contained?
AK: We have held a few sponsored online shows, but honestly it’s been more of God’s grace that been at play.
PM: How have you managed to survive without live shows and functions?
AK: The first five weeks were depressing because of how we had to adjust on almost every habit that we were used to. We had to adjust our spending budget and that was not easy. We were very hopeful though, thinking it won’t last as long as it has done. We remain hopeful though.
PM: What’s your greatest weakness and greatest strength?
AK: My greatest weakness is I am a perfectionist and that has delayed a lot of my projects. My greatest strength is my ability to put all my emotions into song.
PM: When can we expect a new project?
AK: I’m currently writing two albums. Still on the writing stage though. Hoping to be able to release both this year.
PM: You were known to be an ‘urban groove’ artist in the beginning, did your move into the live music circuit change changed that?
AK: I did fall under that category when I was starting, but my playing with a live band has made me explore other avenues of my creativity. In terms of the music itself it has become richer with ideas from a lot of renowned musicians I have worked with over the years. My vision is to really push my brand at the same time representing a Zimbabwean sound maybe a bit modernised to the extent having it on the world map. I also plan on signing up a few artists on my label to carry on the legacy.
PM: You are one of the few artists we never read about in the yellow pages, how have you managed to keep your brand clean?
AK: I believe it’s not really my doing. I do try to keep my private life private and let people know my musical side which is what’s more important for my career
PM: Do you think anything has changed much in the music industry in the past ten years?
AK: The industry has made way for a lot of new artists, but the most important aspect, which is the money aspect still has a long way to go. Also, the streets have become a very good lifeline for some genres.
PM: Do you see yourself collaborating in future projects with other Zimbabwean artists, if so, who are you eyeing?
AK: I’m aiming to collaborate with a number of artists. I cannot pre-empty at the moment, but I am looking at the new players in the game. I think a collaboration with Van Choga could be very interesting.
PM: What’s on your playlist?
AK: I listen to everything that’s trending to keep myself updated, but on my playlist you’d find afro jazz music, lovers rock and Bundu boys anytime. I spend most of my time at home being a dad. I have been forced to become a fan of cartoons inevitably
PM: What reforms are needed in the music industry for it to thrive?
AK: There is need for a major restructuring of the industry. From the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, I feel they don’t represent us enough. The Ministry needs to take the plight of musicians seriously and put a proper budget for the arts industry.
As musicians we need a union that drives our agendas to be heard and acted upon by the relevant authorities.
The broadcasting stations should be fair when it comes to airplay. On this one, I’m not sure if the problem is in the number of stations we have or other factors. Producers and other musicians who are not necessarily the main artists on songs should have their intellectual rights represented. There should be a criteria to rate artist’s performance fees, appearance fees and so on.
PM: Do you think radio stations are paying artists enough per air play?
AK: With inflation at play the money is not making sense at all. Some broadcasting stations even have a backlog, so by the time they pay out, the money would have lost a significant value.
PM: How have you managed to maintain a strong fan base over time?
AK: The music has done most of the job. Fans follow artists because of their music and my music has proved to be timeless so I guess once they are hooked they are there to stay.
PM: What’s your greatest achievement?
AK: In general, my greatest achievement has been my family. Of course that comes because of a lot God’s grace. Musically, my greatest achievement is my first ever record, because that marked the beginning of my musical journey.
PM: You recently reintroduced yourself on Twitter, what could be the reasons why most artists aren’t as active on Twitter compared to Facebook and Instagram?
AK: It could be the fear of being bullied. One needs to be very careful when active on those streets.
