By Style Reporter
Zimdancehall musician and chanter, Tendai Mapfumo, popularly known as Smartex in the music circles, seems to have found his footing on the genre.
The 23-year-old chanter will be releasing his first album early next year while an LP of his singles that he has released since bursting on the music scene in 2009 will be released next week.
The Highfield-born musician is riding high on the local music charts with his four singles Mikono, Zvishandwa, Ndinzwisise and Taxi Driver, featuring Jah Master currently performing well on the chart shows.
“I’m grateful to be in the charts competing with Nutty O, who is the man of the moment in the music industry as this gives me strength in my journey,” Smartex said.
“It’s not easy to be on the number one spot on the charts for three consecutive weeks and also have four songs on the chart shows.”
Smartex began his music career, in the high-density suburb of Glen Norah, working with George Tanjani, popularly known as Jiggaz, in the arts sector before moving to the Mafia 19 stable led by Guspy Warrior.
“I started my music career in 2009, working with the late Jiggaz before I moved to the Mafia 19 stable,” he said.
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He reckons the journey has not been rosy as he struggled to make the ends, which saw him contemplating on quitting music and focus on other things that could bring him foot to the table.
“I struggled to raise money to record my music and when I joined Mafia 19, things seemed to start working, but again it’s difficult for an artiste to manage another artist as he will also be concentrating on his music, but I am grateful to the opportunities he gave me,” Smartex said.
“I faced a lot of challenges when I started my music career, and there was a time I thought of quitting music.”
As the thoughts of ending his music career short continued to cross his mind, the young musician received a lifeline, as he was signed by music promoter Jomula Chitomurwizi, marking his re-birth in the music industry.
“Ever since joining the stable things have been going according to plan, and I have managed to make my name in the music industry by only concentrating on doing what I love best, thus music without any worries, of recording and shows,” he said.
Since he switched ranks, the Highfield-born musician is enjoying a purple patch in the music industry and now is looking forward to releasing his first album in more than a decade.
“I am really grateful to Sir Jomula because he came at a time when the chips were down, when I was contemplating on quitting music,” Smartex said.
“But because of his help I have managed to redeem myself, and I am happy with what I have done so far and also I am happy to be looking forward to releasing my first album Smartex and the Goons early next year.
“Having an album in my name has always been my dream and I am happy it’s now coming to reality.”
The release of his album, which has seen him working with seasoned local musicians like Tocky Vibes, Guspy Warrior, Trevor Dongo, Bazooker, Mathias Mhere, Darular, Shinsoman and Delroy will comes months after he releases his LP titled Zvishandwa, which contains his singles.
