SNEAK PEEK :Winstone Antonio]
TALENTED Fungai Lee Kampira known as Gospel DJ Unlocked is an exceptional woman who has taken the showbiz by storm as she exhibits her amazing technical skills complemented with her unmatched touch on the turntables.
A former radio DJ at Heart and Soul Radio operated by Alpha Media Holdings, Gospel DJ Unlocked has become the first ever live mixing gospel DJ in the country and her live gospel mixes that electrify the atmosphere of praise and worship has won the hearts of many.
Her prowess has not gone unnoticed such that she was nominated for the Best Gospel DJ Award at the Zimbabwe Music Awards.
With the support of her husband Tawanda Kampira, she has not only ministered at different stages and events locally, but also across the borders in neighbouring Zambia and Malawi.
NewsDay (ND) Life & Style reporter Winstone Antonio yesterday caught up with Gospel DJ Unlocked (GDU) and below are excerpts from the interview.
ND: Who is Gospel DJ Unlocked?
GDU: Mmmm, it’s me Fungai Lee Kampira aka Mai Khyro.
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ND: What motivated and inspired you to venture into dejaying?
GDU: The prophetic word from God that I received on February 13, 2018 from Prophet Edd Branson is what made me know the calling upon my life. The motivation and inspiration came from that word to date. That is the foundation of my deejaying.
ND: How did you get your beginnings? Did someone impart the skills on you or you just picked them up along the way?
GDU: After the prophetic word, outside of my mother-in-law Nancy Kampira who was there, my husband-cum-manager Tawanda Kampira was the next to know and he supported me and bought me my first mixer. He is the first one to teach me and my DJ brother Sean Skillz also taught me more later on.
ND: How do you feel being a woman in a male-dominated world of deejaying?
GDU: I am a spirit being, so I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. So in my sphere of influence, I flourish and being the first full-time live mixing gospel DJ in Zimbabwe has its advantages.
ND: How was it like playing on your first gigs?
GDU: My first gig was my launch at church. I was nervous, but the support I received from prophet Edd and Elder Challe and the rest of the JG family was amazing and after being sent in the power of the anointing, it got better though you kind of feel the nerves sometimes before ministering.
ND: How does it feel like when you are on the turntables?
GDU: The turntable is my stage and pulpit such that I feel so happy and fulfilled knowing that I am walking in destiny and fulfilling my tables, seeing people worshipping God and praising Him.
ND: How do you prepare your sets?
GDU: Whoosh it takes me a while as I am a perfectionist. And it being a ministry, you do not want to minister in the flesh. So prayer first and then I create my crate and decide the sense of praise or worship I want depending with the event. After, I have to listen to the songs, visualise and select. This can go on for hours until I sense that it’s good now. I also bounce it off with my husband-manager and then I finalise.
ND: Is it an expensive pursuit being a DJ?
GDU: Lol, my husband takes care of that, I only receive. He is my blesser, so it has been easy.
ND: What stimulates your musical taste?
GDU: Word-based gospel music that is theologically correct and properly done content and soundwise. Music that brings faith, hope and love and full of grace.
ND: Are you making a living being a DJ exclusively?
GDU: Proverbs 31 woman of course I am, still doing my events business and running a shop in Bindura.
ND: How did you feel when you were nominated for the Zimbabwe Music Awards.
GDU: Honestly surprised. A friend of mine advised me to submit as I had not because I did not feel I had done much as it was just a year and nine months for me then. I did not think I would cut the list especially having been nominated with the greats in the industry. Was excited, motivated and felt honoured. The supernatural speed.
ND: How has this COVID-19-induced lockdown affected your career?
GDU: COVID-19 eish, we had plans with my team to launch a number of projects, but we postponed and all my wedding bookings shifted, but it is getting better now. In the midst of it all God made sure I still got bookings.
ND: You have clinched a big deal with one of the country’s mobile operators, what is the nature of the deal?
GDU: More of an opportunity lol, well I did three shoots before for Yo DJ Mix including one for Higher Life Foundation sometime back. When lockdown began, and when live sets started, I got a call from Urban Africa who does programming for Yo DJ Mix for Econet Zimbabwe with a request to do a show and shoot for YoGospelMix and when we met, that is when I was told the show was created specifically for me every Sunday on the Econet Zimbabwe page. The contract has really boosted me financially during this lockdown as it is not for free. ND: What is yours favourite music?
GDU: My favourite music is gospel and there are many artistes I listen to.
ND: Any exclusive news at this moment?
GDU: Occupy the streets, Unlocked Streets Movement Launching Soon #TeamIvy #legendarySettingz. Watch the space.
