He speaks about his career
AFRO-fusion singer, Victor Kunonga (VK), was once touted as the next big thing in showbiz. So good and visible was his craft that he received massive endorsement from the late great South African jazz music legend Hugh Masekela. Similarly, music enthusiasts considered him a natural heir to the late Dr Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi’s music throne due to the likeness of their music and stage work. However, Kunonga has until recently been operating under the radar. His latest offering “Ndatsva” is a good effort, but it is yet to make an impact some months after release. Brighton Zhawi (BZ) had a chat with the musician who gave us an insight into his music career and personal life.
BZ: Your fans were chuffed to see you back on stage for the Father’s Day virtual gig after a long break. How was the feeling for you?
VK: The concert held on Ngoda TV was an exciting experience for many reasons. I had not seen my band members in four months. Likewise, we had not rehearsed over the period. It was our second performance of the year with the band but our very first without a real live audience. A lot of what we did on the day was kind of impromptu which made it even more exciting.
BZ: Music followers feel you are now out of the game and focusing more on corporate shows?
VK: Victor Kunonga has never been out of the game! This business is my bread and butter. Each day without a performance affects me. The feeling that I only like doing corporate shows is wrong. Corporates engage me and I often give them priority as a business decision. Remember corporate events are neither easy to come by nor are they a daily thing. Our fans know we may not be loud but we are present and potent.
BZ: What is the secret to your high quality studio work?
VK: We have done our best as a band to survive the turbulent environment. It has not been easy though. We are fortunate to have a good base of fans who are loyal and who truly believe in us. They are the reason we continue to produce good music.
BZ: Was your latest offering “Ndatsva” well received?
VK: It was and it is selling fine online. We could not physically promote it like our previous efforts due to the pandemic. Our music has long shelf life thus people discover it over time.
BZ: “Such is Life”, “Uyo”, “Hatineti”, “Kwedu” and “Ndatsva”, which one do you consider to be your best album?
VK: That is a tough one. Every album has its character which makes it different from the other. As musicians, we always feel we can do better on the next project. There are production attributes like sound quality which influence our personal choice. Thus, it becomes difficult to make a judgement. However, from a production perspective, “Kwedu” stands out. Experience has shown me that songs I like are often not the popular ones on my albums.
BZ: What are some of the misconceptions the public has on artistes?
VK: There are a lot of misconcep
tions about artistes. We are labelled all sorts, but it is simply because we are people that make news. Several people misbehave but get away with it because they are not newsworthy. BZ: I understand you are also a painter, body-builder, fashion and graphic designer?
VK: I consider myself to be a diverse artiste. Drawing, painting and designing comes naturally to me. But I am a graduate of art school. Art is a calling for me. I was a bodybuilder at some point and wanted to be on stage competing with the best and that is a part of my life I still cherish. It was the beginning of making my name. BZ: How was your experience
in the 25 days push-up challenge to raise awareness in Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
VK: I enjoy working out even though I have serious bouts of laziness. I have not exercised in a while. I recently had an uncomfortable shoulder injury that has since healed well. It is the reason why I did not complete
my 25 days of the PTSD challenge. BZ: What does the PSTD challenge mean?
VK: PTSD is a condition that many of us do not understand. It affects a lot of artistes hence you hear of drug and alcohol abuse amongst us. There is a lot that we cannot share. Being in the limelight can be very stressful. People have high expectations of us and forget we are also ordinary beings who are struggling to make ends meet like everyone else.
BZ: Tell us about Hugh Masekela’s endorsement?
VK: Man, it is no small feat having a legend like Hugh Masekela endorsing you. He listened to one of my albums “Kwedu” and instantly made a decision that I should produce his mbira project “Shai Shai”. This was quite an experience as I spent a fair amount of time with him at my place. I felt humbled to have him as a guest of honour at one of my album launch.
BZ: What role has your wife and kids played in your career?
VK: My wife Olga is my biggest critic. She gets to hear the music before anyone else and gives feedback. My family is always behind what I do. My son has pretty much taught himself to play basic guitar like I do, my daughter plays mbira very well and my wife makes sure we are well fed.
BZ: Do you think virtual shows are the future?
VK: The world will not be the same post
Covid-19. The effects will be felt for decades I believe. The entertainment landscape will be transformed for good, biased towards virtual. But online platforms need to be monetised. Travel application will be a bit more stringent and tours may not be easy to do as the world was used to.
BZ: The track “Tinotenda” was dedicated to the media. Can you tell us about it?
VK: It is a great song and well dedicated. We need to appreciate what the media does for us. I am honoured to be in the paper today and I know thousands of people who may have forgotten about me will be forced to remember. That is the power of media.
BZ: What is your take with regards to the Afro-fusion genre?
VK: Afro-fusion is the future. It is always the most sought after genre when we talk of festivals because it is true, authentic, tangible and home-grown.
BZ: “Maidarirei” seems to be your most popular song. Did you know the track would be this big?
VK: We did a good job capturing the emotions on a difficult topic of abuse on the song. I am glad the message is transcending time. This is a magnificent result and that is what great songs should do. It is the first track on my debut album. Like I said before, it is not easy to know what fans will like. I have two after-thought songs on my last two albums that have gone on to become popular. One of the songs is “Sunshine City” off “Ndatsva”.
BZ: Do you believe you can be heir of Dr Tuku’s music throne?
VK: I am not a believer of music succession but continuity in the genre. Artistes will never be the same neither will their journeys. I want to succeed in upholding the legend’s music legacy by doing what he advised and what he stood for.