The Sunday Mail
Prince Mushawevato
GIFT “Shiga Shiga” Katulika’s upcoming album comes with a new flavour.
The talented chanter has added new ingredients to his typical rhumba-sungura recipe. Like a shark, he never stops prowling the waters for the next big fish, and this time he has bitten deep into Zimdancehall.
Yes, that’s right. The talented Congolese-born musician will soon release his second solo album and on it he features charismatic chanter Soul Jah Love and dancehall mainstay Shinsoman on the tracks “Basa Ndakapihwa” and “Wangu Mudiwa” respectively.
The other songs on the album are “Wagara Wakasuwa”, “Mumwe Wangu” and “Kufunga Zvisizvo”.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail Leisure last week, Shiga said he was looking to ride the big wave that is Zimdancehall.
“Music is an art that needs special skill and talent to create and improve. As musicians we should not be static. The industry only grows when we create fresh and interesting compositions for our fans. Thus, I have decided to try a dancehall and rhumba blend on this project,” said Shiga. “We did this before with sungura when no one least expected and the genres (sungura and rhumba) dominated the market then.”
This publication sampled some of the songs on the upcoming album and Shiga might be on to something.
His producer, Malvin “Movy Dee” Mudyiwa of SPM Records opines that the artiste knows how to spread his wings in a cut-throat industry.
“Shiga features Soul Jah Love and Shinsoman on this album, which I’m sure is going to surprise many. He is a flexible artiste who gives you more than you bargain for. I did not have challenges working with him, he is a natural,” said Movy Dee.
For more than 20 years, Shiga was a supporting hand in many success stories of local music, in addition to fronting New Stars Musica on “Chikolokolo Chamota” and “Chando Kupisa”.
The big break came when he joined Utakataka Express and helped Tongai “Dhewa” Moyo record the chart-bursting album “Naye”.
Shiga also worked with part-timer Energy Mutodi and raunchy dancer Beverly “Bev” Sibanda, before launching his first solo project, “Two Years Later”, a few years ago.
He then rejoined Utakataka Express, led by Peter Moyo, son to the late Tongai.
But the artiste appears to be struggling to come to grips with being a band leader and he is very categorical when saying he is still very much a part of Utakataka.
Many Utakataka Express fans fear the talented chanter will permanently leave the band soon judging by his propensity to roam the waters.
Peter Moyo is in the studio putting final touches to his third album, which according to the musician is due for release next month.
Shiga reassured: “My boss Peter is releasing his new album next month hence I have decided to put on hold my launch. I could have long dropped this album since I have finished working on it.
“Utakataka has a nice project that I feature and I don’t want to confuse fans or even disturb the market by releasing my album before Peter. My album is not coming to challenge Peter’s project.
“I’m Utakataka to the core and I recorded this album with his blessings. I’m not going anywhere, even my recording sessions did not affect my role at Utakataka Express.”
Shiga will not stop his nomadic ways soon. After all, his album “Two Years Later” got him enough money to buy a residential stand and build a house.
Whatever his future holds, fans should get ready to enjoy his sungura-dancehall fusion.
