The Sunday Mail
Dennis Chimanzi
FELISTAS Murata, popularly known as Mai TT, is as controversial as they come.
It appears she often makes headlines for the wrong reasons.
To some, she is viewed as a rude firebrand and loud-mouth.
Why so?
Mai TT seems to have a penchant for stirring up controversy.
Most of the time she is either having a cat-fight with fellow socialites, celebrities, social media followers or busy making shocking revelations about her private life.
However, some simply consider her to be a happy-go-lucky person — an entertainer par excellence.
Talk of her enchanting skits that have literally made her a household name over the years.
The socialite, comedienne and recording artiste is, without doubt, a woman of many talents.
But, who exactly is Mai TT and how does she balance between her private and public life?
“My real life is far from what people see or say on social media. What they think about my marriage, family, business, etcetera, is all wrong,” said Mai TT in an interview with The Sunday Mail Society at her home in Mabelreign, Harare.
“There is a lot of cyber-bullying on social media and I have been a victim on several occasions. It is unfortunate that many social media users are unable to distinguish between fake and genuine news. A huge chunk of information that is spread is unfounded gossip.”
The award-winning socialite, who was recently voted the best social media influencer, said she was born to entertain.
She described herself as someone who is humorous, humble and philanthropic.
However, she was quick to point out that did not make her a person of loose morals.
“I am very angry about people who always say negative things about my marriage and family. To be honest, I am not a vicious person. I am very comfortable with my husband and family. We are happy and they can testify to that.”
She also says she values family ties more than everything else.
“I am a comedian by nature, but I always make time for serious talk with my children. We discuss our problems or issues as a family and always come up with a consensus. I am married and we do most of the things as a family.
“Besides, I play the role of tete (auntie) with astuteness when at the Murata family. They all call me tete and I am well known for being peace-loving and promoting unity within the family.”
Apart from being a comedienne-cum-socialite-cum-singer, she is also a thriving businesswoman with major interests in logistics and fashion.
Mai TT also confessed of being a social media addict.
“I dedicate most of my time to various business operations I run across the country. I have a fleet of haulage trucks, cosmetic shops and also operate salons,” she said.
“I am not selfish! I have helped many artistes who came to me begging for help. I have done skits with some of them, while others I have simply assisted financially.”
She also says she is doing her bit by helping women succeed in their projects.
“Some of the people that I have helped are very much active and have since made names for themselves. I also help the less privileged and fellow women who want to venture into business with ideas and capital.
“On most occasions, I subtract a portion of my wealth and give it to disadvantaged young ladies. I even market products for some of them for free on our social media platforms.”
Her journey to stardom has not been rosy. She speaks of the need for perseverance, dedication, determination and direction.
The socialite’s road to fame was created by a smartphone, which was not even top of the range.
“I never had a proper camera. In the initial days, I would shoot skits using my cellphone and eventually, one thing led to another. If you want something in life, you have to be bold and endure all kinds of challenges.
‘‘People need to understand that I have come far and the journey has not been easy. It’s all about knowing what you want and not getting distracted along the way.”
