The Sunday Mail
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But not if the old dog is multi-talented artiste Willom Tight, real name Willbroad Muponda.
At 43 years of age, the “Ndinoda Wangu” singer has successfully re-branded and is about to re-launch his music career with his fifth studio album, “Manifesto”.
Willom Tight, who started recording songs for the album in August last year — has a mouth-watering track list featuring collaborations with some of Africa’s finest talents. These include the Mansa of Mali Salif Keita, Nigeria’s Runtown Gallardo, South Africa’s Uhuru and Speedy of Bongo Maffin, Erick Paliani of Malawi and Lando from Swaziland.
He has remixed the late Jabu Khanyile’s “Perfect Woman” and to date he has recorded over 30 songs with four different producers and lots of musicians from all over Africa.
The father of three says he does not know which has been harder, the more than 12 hours he spends in the studio when he is in South Africa or the hard times he has had to endure due to lack of work back home in Zimbabwe.
“As old as I am, there are times that I have openly wept before going into the studio or after a hard day’s work. Sometimes I feel as if I’m being drained of all the creativity in me. But then I also remember that this is the kind of opportunity that artistes wait for their entire lives and I have it right in front of me.
“So I gather myself up and push myself to deliver. In SA, music is a serious business and when it is time to work there is no time for excuses, one has to swim with the sharks in the deep waters in order to survive,” said Willom Tight.
He says the different artistes and producers he has worked with over the past one year — have opened previously unutilised sections of his creative mind.
“I have had situations where an artiste asks to feature on my track but then goes on to raise the bar for me to the extent that I have to redo my part as well. Here at home I can just go into the studio for three hours and go home, but in SA one can do vocals the whole day,” he said.
He says the difference between Zimbabwean musicians’ attitude towards recording and that of artistes in other parts of the world was captured in his very first collaboration with Salif Keita.
“My management team sent him the song that they wanted him to feature on weeks before his arrival, but when he arrived he asked to listen to all the available tracks. After that he went into the studio and did several takes, which to me were all perfect from the first one to the last, he is amazing.”
He added: “Nothing is left to chance when doing music commercially. Everything has to be on point and that is how they do it out there. Imagine — I have recently learnt that there are 29 ways of making money as a musician, but here in Zimbabwe if you do not do live shows or are extremely lucky to get some lousy endorsement deal, you will starve.”
The artiste has worked with Dino Mudondo and at the turn of the millennium their combination was unstoppable as they released hit after hit.
Before that, Willom Tight had worked with Mateo and Friends, making waves on the Zimbabwean music industry.
But he says despite having a seemingly colourful career, he has endured tough times more than he has enjoyed the good times.
“It has never been easy. The road has been tough but we made sure that people around us never really saw it. There has been more sadness and trouble in my music career than happiness,” said Willom Tight as he fought back tears.
He says God’s grace has seen him through, giving him strength to go on when giving up was easier.
“God gave me a son, Gary, to heal my wounds and to give me a purpose in life. It was the greatest comfort I ever got and I felt renewed. I wanted to empower him, to leave a legacy for him so that he would carry on when I was gone.
“But the boy went on to shine beyond my wildest imaginations. By the time he was in Form Three he was already touring outside the country. I stopped paying school fees for him when he was just 15. He was already able to take care of himself. He can play just about every instrument and is definitely in the right direction,” said Willom Tight proudly.
He says his daughters Sasha (14) and Mia (four) make his world complete and his new-found footing at Shamiso Music and Entertainment is enabling him to give them a better life.
“I cannot say they have all that I want them to have but they are much better taken care of now than before this deal. If all goes according plan, I will be taking my family across the Limpopo, closer to my workplace but Gary will stay behind as he has many projects here and is also studying at the Zimbabwe College of Music,” said Willom Tight.
The artiste, who says he signed a 10-year deal with Shamiso Music and Entertainment, confessed to this publication that the company has taken him to a whole new level.
“I have shared the stage with Uhuru and it looks like the relationship is likely to continue. My music is making serious inroads in West Africa. The only other artiste whose music is played in that part of Africa is Oliver Mtukudzi,” he said.
Willom Tight has no idea which songs out of the 35 or so he has recorded will make the new album or when the album is likely to be released.
“Everything is handled by the record company. All I do is go into the studio and work and they work out the rest of the details. You can talk to my executive producer Gilbert Muvavarirwa for release dates and the likes,” said Willom Tight.
Efforts to get a comment from Muvavarirwa before going to print were fruitless.
Could this be Willom Tight’s “this-is-it” moment? The world awaits.
