Afro-dancehall artiste Volcano out to conquer the world
MBARE-BASED upcoming Afro-dancehall musician Harry Matongo affectionately known as “Volcano” says he has a passion for music and wants to conquer the world.
Speaking to The Herald Arts, Volcano says he chose the genre after being inspired by Ghanaian musician Stonebwoy.
Afro-dancehall is a fusion of dancehall and Afro-pop which is believed to have originated from West Africa.
“I am ready to rise to the occasion. I am ready to conquer the world. I draw my inspiration from a Ghana-based musician by the name Stonebwoy,” said Volcano.
Volcano said he got much of his experience from ghetto life in Mbare where he is based.
“I was born and bred in Mbare where I got much of my experience in music through interacting with other established musicians and attending shows,” he said.
Volcano said his desire for music was driven by the painful experiences which people face in the ghetto especially the youth, adding his venture into music was a counter-measure for that.
“I found solace in music and that helped me cope, watching the struggles and plight of the youths. I was inspired to engage and motivate the youths through music” he said.
Volcano started as a teenager having challenges of lack of support from his family and friends. “At first it was hard. They would not accept me as an artist. To them, art was for those who have failed in life, or those who have no focus, as parents with great expectations they expected more than art from me”
“It was at a later stage when they realised I had a passion for this and gradually they began supporting me which urged me on much to my surprise”
“In as much as they wanted me to be a teacher my family later understood I could teach through music and it can also be a career” As a budding musician, Volcano bemoaned lack of support from promoters. “We do not get a lot of promoters as they tend to ignore us. They choose already established artists and it’s hard for us to get gigs’
“My genre of afro-dancehall has not received any airplay radio, disc jockeys do not play us that much as compared to other genres,” he said. The volcano has recorded singles which included, “Nhamo ndisiye”, “Pfugama unamate” “Chaedza”, “Pressure” and Mwana wemusango “Nhamo Ndisiye” track talks about hopes for a better future and a life full of abundance. Also another track “Mwana Wemusango” speaks about his life in the ghetto likening the environment to the jungle where hope seems blurred,” “Harare is characterised by fast life very different to life in the countryside. So having been born and bred in Harare I was trying to connect to my roots through this song.” Volcano’s songs are found on his social media platforms YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. He said he was eager to learn more and hoped to grow like other established musicians.