UNITED KINGDOM-BASED Zimbabwean musician Lamont Chitepo says it is crucial for artistes to embrace their cultural roots when creating music.
Chitepo told NewsDay Life & Style that incorporating culture in music can foster a sense of identity and belonging which allows musicians and their listeners to connect with their roots.
“I really think we should see more Zimbabwean culture in our music because that is who we are and we should express ourselves the way we are. I think culture is everything, we cannot run away from that,” he said.
“Together with dendera singer Sulumani Chimbetu and Tytan we collaborated on a song titled Mafuta. The idea was to take our Zimbabwean sound and give it a different twist by modernising it.”
Chitepo noted that because musicians in the diaspora do not have the privilege of interacting and building a relationship with fans in their home country except through the internet, home-based artistes had a distinct added advantage.
“Interaction with fans in the home country is a challenge since not everyone has access to the internet for live streaming,” he pointed out.
Chitepo attributed his growth as an artiste to collaborations with notable artistes such as dancehall singer Freeman and Sulumani, among others.
He is famed for such songs as Maiwe (2015), Maoko Mudenga (2016), Do You Remember featuring Tytan (2020) and Musiye Abaye featuring Freeman.
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