The Sunday Mail
>>As Zima comes to town
>>Awards night is event of the year
>>Randall to be one of the guest presenters
With the long-awaited Zimbabwe Music Awards set for Wednesday, it is as if the entire world of entertainment is holding its breath in anticipation. Since the awards’ re-launch in May at a glitzy event in the capital, much hype has surrounded the preparations for the ceremony that has now been dubbed THE “entertainment event” of the year.
One can be forgiven for asking, “What makes this ZIMA so special?”
We have seen so many great acts, local and international. We have seen theatre productions that got international acclaim. Why is Zima so special?
The response to this question is quite simple. Zima is the future of entertainment. Over the past decade, Zimbabweans have found themselves increasingly exposed to global trends as a result of rapid technological advancement.
The wide variety of mobile gadgets on the market coupled with ever-improving internet access have made web browsing and social networking an everyday activity accessible to thousands.
Then there is also the large percentage of our population, particularly in urban areas, in possession of either a pay TV (DStv, GOTV, BOSTV) decoder or a free-to-air (Wiztech, Philibao, Strong) decoder.
This exposure has resulted in a more demanding society. A society that will not settle for mediocre products, services or even entertainment.
Due to this exposure, we are an aspirational nation with a great desire to see our nation excel at the highest level. Which is why there is hunger for a Zimbabwean production, a production that Zimbabweans can be proud of, just like how the South Africans, Nigerians, British and Americans are proud of their productions.
The return of Zima 2014 is timely as it delivers what both artistes and audiences have been craving for.
Having looked at the offerings of other ceremonies such as the Sama’s, Grammys and BETs for guidance, Zima has said that this year’s event will be world class while remaining purely Zimbabwean.
Zima has had the wisdom to take the formula that has worked for other markets and merged them with our own unique Zimbabwean styles to create a show that is expected to be representative of Zimbabwean arts and culture with an international flair.
Coming from a seven-year absence, Zima has gone bigger, not only in terms of entertainment but also with regards to value to the music industry. Besides offering great entertainment value for audiences, Zima 2014 creates a platform for local artistes’ development and the sharpening of skills for creative and technical crews so that they, too, can be competitive on the international stage.
Commenting on the technical aspect of the event, Zima marketing and public relations executive Farai Chapoterera said: “When we launched we set big targets for ourselves. It was either go big or go home. The journey towards the event has taught us a lot. We have had to re-adjust some of our production elements but we have not let go of the ultimate goal which is to produce a world-class event that shows the world that Zimbabweans can pull anything off. We have learnt that Zimbabwe is pregnant with talent and technical expertise, we just need to harness them appropriately and we can hold our own against any international production. Obviously the journey to perfection does not happen overnight but we can confidently say Zima and the Zimbabwean Music Industry are well on their way.”
This said, let us not forget that no matter how good a production can be in terms of sound and lighting, if the entertainment is not on point, it will fall flat.
Fortunately Zima seems to have gone to great lengths to ensure that this event appeals to the entirety of the Zimbabwean population. A quick look at the list of performers shows that all music lovers have been catered for as all genres are catered for. The night will see performances from Jah Prayzah, Soul Jah Love, Tehn Diamond, Audious Mtawarira, Cynthia Mare, Shingai Mangoma, Djembe Monks, Sabastian Magacha, MMT, Malimbah and a special performance by Afrika Revenge.
Asked to explain the choice of performers for the event, Chapoterera said: “In following with international trends, the stage on the night of the awards is reserved for the nominees. It is their night to celebrate their nomination and show the nation and the world just why they have stood out amongst their peers. If at all it were possible we would love for all our nominees to take to the stage, but unfortunately that is not possible. So we chose artistes that appeal to all audiences.
“We also wanted to showcase some of the newer artistes who have demonstrated great talent but would otherwise not be able to perform on such a grand stage. We hope Zimbabwe will see the immense talent that our adjudication panel saw in these young people.”
It certainly appears that Zima is set to meet expectations. However, many fans were initially slightly disgruntled that they would not be able to witness Zimbabwe’s first “real” red carpet event. Ticket prices for the event were a bit too steep for the ordinary man on the street. Zima did not hesitate to oblige. Organisers recently slashed the ticket prices and announced that they did not want the prices to be a deterrent for fans attending the event.
Chapoterera said: “This cannot be a national event if the public is not able to attend. We, therefore, heeded a call by the public and have slashed ticket prices for the event. If a person is in Harare or can travel to Harare, we want them to be part of this journey with us. Cost should not be an issue.”
And so as the days turn to hours and the big event draws nigh, the nation holds its breath.
One day as we look back on entertainment history we shall say: “That is the show that taught us that Zimbabweans can”.
