MUSIC: Tia – Here, Gone and Back again

When urban grooves made its mark on the local music scene at the turn of the millennium, one of the more noticeable names was Tia, born Portia Njazi.

Her single “Boy You Got to Know”, was played on rotation on almost every radio station – and almost every hour.

Soon, her popularity was to cross borders and the video to the song, which featured the now Hollywood-based Arnold Chirisa, was an instant hit on continental music channel, Channel O, and later on MTV Base.

She was to follow on this success with her first full album “Spice It Up”, which was to be the source of her Best Urban Grooves (Female) Award at the 2007 Zimbabwe Music Awards. She went on to release “Euphoria” – and ironically the euphoria around her died at about that same time.

“I can’t blame my fans for thinking that the euphoria died down but truth is I had not forgotten about them for I did a number of singles along the years and some, if not most, did not find their way onto the playlists of local radio stations,” she said matter-of-factly last week in Harare, where she is back for a brief production stint.

Tia is working on her fourth album, due for release before the year closes.

She adds that part of her silence was due to pursuing and finishing her studies, which have helped her approach the music career with a more robust and focused mind.

Already, she has put two singles on the market; “Gimme Love” and “Forget the Bills”, with the former rocking the charts.

“I have sent my two singles to all radio stations in the country, but I have got recognition on Power FM only, where ‘Gimme Love’ was number five on their charts the last time I checked.

“Surprisingly, across the border in South Africa, my music is being played more than it is here. I really understand that dancehall is the music of the moment but we cannot all be doing dancehall, there is still hip-hop out there, there is house, there is RnB. So our radio stations should be supporting us for real.”

About a month ago, she was interviewed by Planet Radio TV’s Tara. Planet Radio TV is accessed on the DStv platform by East and West African television viewers.

Appearing on Planet Radio TV is part of a deliberate and big plan to enter the international market.

“When I go to sing in Nigeria or Kenya or any other country, I should not strive to attract the Zimbabwean market there, I should be able to sing for anyone and everyone. Recently I performed at the Soweto Fashion Week, and it was not specifically for a Zimbabwean audience – that is what I think local musicians should try to do, that when they go and perform outside Zimbabwe, they are not targeting Zimbabweans but an international audience.”

Could the international market target be the reason why she hardly does her songs in anything but English?

“I have done a Shona version of ‘Boy You Got to Know’ and in one of my latest tracks I did some verses in Zulu. I will be doing wholly Shona songs soon but I want to conquer the world first and I believe that dream is within my means, my reach, if my music keeps on receiving the same level of support.”

As confident as ever, Tia says her music is meant to have a feel-good effect.

“This is the kind of music that one would like to listen to over and over again, music is not supposed to be sorrowful or bring sadness, it is supposed to make one feel happy, be it the singer or the listener.”