The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
EMMY award-winning singer Dumisani Maraire Jnr, better known by his stage moniker Draze, recently released a new track titled “Mazvita.”
In the Shona language, “Mazvita” means “thank you.”
Upon release, the video for the song garnered 10 000 views in a single day.
“Mazvita” is currently doing well on several social media platforms.
Son to the late mbira music icon Dumisani Maraire, Draze was born and spent the better part of his life in the United States.
Draze said the song is dedicated to his relatives in Zimbabwe who allowed him to experience both Zimbabwean and American cultures.
“The song transports listeners from a typical hood in America to a typical city or village in Zimbabwe. The song is a personal “thank you” to my mother, father, grandparents and the communities that raised me in Africa and the United States,” he said.
In the song, he plays the marimba to honour his parents.
“In my view, my father was the greatest Marimba player ever. I play the instrument as a way of saluting my father and my mother Lora Chiorah,” Draze said.
Draze’s mother and his sister Danai are also featured in the video.
In the video, Draze cleverly uses visuals to portray the contrasting African and American cultures.
“With the video, I want to inspire black people around the world to see themselves as Africans and to see one another as family. As black people, when we get to that point, we will truly be unstoppable.”
