A different kind of dancehall star

15 May, 2016 - 00:05 0 Views
A different kind of dancehall star Jah Bless

The Sunday Mail

Tafadzwa Kadani
Many music lovers believed “Mudendere” by Dobba Don was actually sung by Soul Jah Luv.
Many other tracks by less popular chanters have been wrongly attributed to Winky D and other established artistes.
Zim dancehall, the genre that has spread like wild fire among local youths, has hundreds of unknown but talented singers.
Jah Bless is one such artiste.
His story is not known yet he has been in the industry for quite a long time. “Jah bless” many say nowadays, meaning God bless you.
However, what is known to many as a phrase used for declaring blessings on someone is an artiste’s name synonymous with the genesis of Zim dancehall as a genre in Zimbabwe.
Dynamite indeed comes in small packages.
On meeting this artiste, one would not easily believe that the person standing in front of them is actually the singer who has churned out so many hits.
Born Tavona Kevin Padoro in 1975 in Kwekwe, Jah Bless is not anywhere near the stereotype that so many have come to have about Zim dancehall artistes.
The 40-year-old has toiled for long – and he is not giving up any time soon.
“I grew up in a reggae-loving environment. As early as Grade One I listened to reggae singers such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Freddy McGregor among others,” said Jah Bless.
In the streets he has come to be known as “The Entertainer” because of one of his singles that was received very well by listeners.
The beginning of his journey in music started in early 1996 when he became a member of Crucial Mix Band led by Trevor Hall aka Ras Jabulani.
Said Jah Bless: “The band gave me a lot of exposure because at that time dancehall and reggae artistes were just a handful. We used to be the backing vocalists and instrumentalists for many.”
The veteran artiste has shared the stage with international artistes like Buju Banton and Freddy McGregor.
“In early 2000 I was part of the supporting acts that had the privilege to share the stage with Freddy McGregor and before that I also had the opportunity to share the stage and ideas with Buju Banton,” said Jah Bless.
In 2002 he did a number of songs with major producers and one of the songs he did with Delani Makhalima — “Dada Norudzi Rwako” — was well received and reached number one on Power FM.
While many Zim dancehall artistes are viewed as druggies, this cool crooner is a different case.
Jah Bless is a holder of a Post Graduate Diploma in Management for Executives from the University of Zimbabwe and is working on his MBA at the same institution.
“Apart from being a Zim dancehall artiste I am also an academic. I did my studies at Kwekwe and Harare polytechnics before going to UZ. I am currently writing my thesis for my MBA,” said Jah Bless.
Jah Bless was at one stage a manager at the Grain Marketing Board in Norton, supervising over 200 workers from 2002 to 2007.
Many people know of his popular songs that have topped the charts locally such as “Ndouya Ikoko” and “Ndozvandiri”.
The two singles have not only topped the charts but they were also nominated for Song of the Year and Best Conscious Song of the Year, respectively, at the Zim dancehall Awards.
He said: “Some of my songs are currently being sold on iTunes without my knowledge, which goes to show the quality of music that I do.”
Although he is not getting any money from his music being sold on iTunes, Jah Bless is not defeated. He says this is actually helping him market his brand before he drops his album this summer.
“The product is there but people cannot put a face to it. Evidently having music on iTunes shows that I produce good quality music. As I prepare for the release of my double album, which will consist of reggae and dancehall separately, I have compiled singles which are being sold on the streets,” said Jah Bless.
“What delayed my rise to stardom was me going back to pursue my studies but I can safely say that I am back with a bang. I am not saying I’m going to dominate the industry but this year I will give everyone a run for their money,” Jah Bless warned.

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