Zimdancehall sends Fungisayi back to the skies
By Peter Tinashe Kaviya
It seems Fungisayi Zvakavapano’s controversial move to adopt dancehall is paying off.
For years, she sang hymns of praise and worship commanding her own in an industry that had likes of Ivy Kombo, Shingisai Suluma, Carol Mujokoro to mention but a few .
At the time when her career seemed to be losing steam, Fungisayi dumped her management and immediately took a decision to knock on Oskids door, ushering a new era , which added her name to long list of dancehall ‘’empresses’’.
Despite being labeled a ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’, her collaboration with dancehall’s kingpin Killer T on the track Vanondibatirana did not only win her an award at the Zim dancehall Awards but it seems the diva will finally take to the skies again.
With her last appearance in UK being in 2011, the diva will join chanters Freeman, Tocky Vibes, Shinsoman at the UK Summer Invasion 2016 a move the diva is delighted with promising fans a mixed bag of her music and also many surprises.
“I’m happy that I will be performing in UK this August and it’s very exciting because it’s been a longtime since my fans in the UK had a chance to see me perform and this will give then a good chance to see the total package of what I can do,“ said Fungisayi.
“I think it will be a good show and my fans will enjoy the diversity that comes with Fungisayi. I have done soul, museve, chimurenga, jazz and now dancehall and it will be a mixed bag of music but most importantly it will all be about praise and worship. The message will still be gospel.”
While traditional music seems to playing second fiddle to other genres with artistes like Alick Macheso having dominated the radio Zimbabwe chats in the past four months .
Only Blessing Shumba has graced the Top 5 alongside Fungisayi and Killer T’s Vanondibatirana with his track Matatenda.
The diva who is currently making waves with her dancehall tracks Giroriya and Amai Ndakanaka still refuses to be labeled a dancehall artiste.
“I don’t know where this dancehall artiste or dancehall dimension is coming from, as Fungisai I am an artiste who is just creative and I want to be seen as that because all I want is to showcase my creativity,‘’ she said.
Fungisayi who has since released Huya Uone Zvakutika Vol 1 also revealed that the second installment of her works titled Huya Uone Zvakuitika Vol 2 is due for release at the end of August.
Fungisayi will be joined by a host of other dancehall for performances from August 26 to 28 in Birmingham, Luton and Manchester.
Chanters Ninja Lipsy, Killah Trillah, Empress Shelly and UK based entourage of Zim Child, Warhead, Fire Flex and Jah Hanief will also take turns to entertain revelers over the three day event.
With travel arrangements still to be finalised one hopes that Fungisayi will not have to experience the nightmare of 2004 that saw her failing to perform in the UK after authorities denied her a visa.
