PHILOSOPHIES in life make it difficult to forgive one when they do something regarded as wrong.
SILENCE CHARUMBIRA ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER
Tinopona Katsenda and Pokello Nare are victims of such.
After Studio 263 went under, Tin Tin, as Katsande is referred to in her circles, was rescued by the new radio station ZiFM Stereo where she commanded a large following for her slot The Ignition Breakfast Show together with Tonderai Katsande and Marc Pozzo yet that was shortlived as her leaked pornographic video made sure she fell out with many.
Yet her voice still echoes in the minds of many.
Her replacement, however, the vivacious MisRed, born Samantha Musa, has set out to give a different dimension to radio.
But, MisRed concedes, it has not been easy filling up a post of a magnanimous talent as Tin Tin whom she regards as one of the best in the business.
“Being in the shadow of Tin Tin has been a challenge. I have to be this other person a couple of times, but that’s not me. I guess it has to do with her magnanimous talent. I am still new so it is a learning process,” she says.
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“I am more laid back, which could be a weakness or strength. Tin Tin is the in-your-face kind of person.”
MisRed says she found the void left by Tin Tin huge, but has been fortunate to have Tonderai Katsande who anchors their show The Ignition Breakfast Show.
“TK is almost a perfectionist who wants to be the best. He is very competitive and that’s what makes him great because he does not settle for anything less,” she says.
She says she has managed to settle in and even declares she cannot trade radio for anything else.
“I love radio. They call it the theatre of the mind. Unlike TV which is great, but there is nothing for one’s imagination, with radio, you need put a lot of effort to create that picture for the listener,” MisRed says.
But how did it all start?
In many cases, people have been fed with all kinds of rosy stories for success.
Hers is more of ambition and goal getting.
Having ricocheted between Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique, she found herself falling in love with radio after getting a job to do voice-overs.
“I was working for a company called Nxatel when I met a guy who told me that he loved my voice and I thought it was one of those tricks men use to woo women. He went and told his friend who made a follow-up and I was convinced they wanted to pimp me. Little did I know they owned a voice-over studio,” she says.
“They called me to their studio where I got a job instantly. I enjoyed it a lot and there was good money. But it was at that moment that I felt homesick and wanted to come home, but could not do so permanently because I had nothing to do. I also had to take care of my daughter Hannah.”
She was to come home and boldly walked into ZiFM studios with no appointment and asked to see Tony Friday, the programmes manager.
“I gave him my demo and told him I wanted him to listen to it and see if I could get a slot. I actually remember telling him even a graveyard shift would do. I just wanted a job in radio,” she says.
“He said I was OK, but I could do with a few tips here and there, but he said he would see what he could do. No promises.
“I went to Star FM and saw Comfort Mbofana and it was basically the same story, maybe because they just do not hire everyone who comes in.”
Without any solid promises, she left for South Africa and made several follow-ups to no avail.
On one of her journeys, she bumped into Tony G, who then explained that he had heard her demo.
As fate would have it, ZiFM needed a replacement for Tin Tin who had been suspended.
“I remember I was sitting in my backyard and asking God what I would do and Tony Friday called. At first, I thought he was calling me for a voice-over job and I was content with that,” she said.
“I got to ZiFM and I was told had to wait for TK to get a feel of me and decide whether he could work with me or not. The following day, he came and he told me I needed a little bit of work and we worked until he thought we could present our case to management.” On the first Monday of November 2013, she went on air and has not regretted since then.
Born on May 8 1989, the voluptuous presenter found herself hopping from school to school throughout her schooling days before she left for Mozambique in 2007.
A mother of one, MisRed says she got the name due to her red lipstick.
“When I stopped wearing the lipstick, my friends said I was mis-read as in misunderstood and it stuck from then on,” she says.
“I represent that demographic of young women who strive to dream bigger and do the impossible. I am a single mother, but that was not a mistake. I represent a woman who has made mistakes, but still can become better and do better and excel in life.”
