The son of the late, renowned Zimbabwean musician Tongai ‘Dhewa’ Moyo, who shares his father’s name, says he is struggling to find support to release his new album, which he has already finished writing.
Tongai Obert Moyo (Jnr), 27, resides in Eye Court, Waterfalls, in Harare and is the younger brother of musician Peter Moyo. He says that there are three sons in their family, as there is another younger brother called Tanaka Moyo who also plays the guitar.
“When my father died, I was young, in Grade 7 in 2011, but I used to travel with my father playing drums. Our elder brother is Peter Moyo, then behind me there is Tanaka Moyo (22) and we all do music. The problem I have is that I don’t have the money to release my new album, which is already finished,” says Tongai Moyo (Jnr).
He says that when his father passed away in 2011, they lived in Masasa, Kwekwe, and he then moved to live with his aunt in Eye Court, where he is working in construction.
“I later continued with school here in Harare and then started singing in 2016 when I joined Bryn Samaita and did a single called Dhewa Vedu, which I was remembering my father with. I then released another single in 2020 called Dzinza Rinokosha, which I did with Ronnie Mudhindo, and in 2022 I did a single with Chief Hwenje called Chingoziva,” says Tongai Moyo (Jnr).
He says he also released an album in 2022 which has songs called Mbinga, followed by Mai Moyo, Tsoka Yerudo, Titambe Ngoma, Dhewa Venyu and Uriko, which is a Rhumba style song and also has two videos.
Tongai Moyo (Jnr) says he is currently polishing his new album called Shumba DzemuAfrica, which has six songs and for which he is seeking funding to release.
“I have finished writing this new album and done everything that is needed, all that remains is to find money to release it, which I am requesting from my father’s friends and other kind-hearted people. My elder brother Peter Moyo is not helping me, maybe he is also struggling, I don’t know. We talk about other family matters, not about this music work, we don’t have anything progressive to say, maybe he is afraid of ‘competition’, I don’t know,” says Tongai Moyo (Jnr).
He says his younger brother, Tanaka, is living in Kwekwe with their grandmother where he is also doing music.
“Since we are only three sons of Tongai ‘Dhewa’ Moyo and also four (4) daughters, it is my wish that one day we unite as Dhewa’s children and play our father’s music together, which is the legacy he left us, and promote our father’s name. Right now, I am doing construction work which I just learned myself after seeing that I was going to die of hunger. I have a full band of musicians using the name Utakataka Express Four By Four (4×4),” says Tongai Moyo (Jnr).
The singer, who is not yet married, says he has a big problem in that he does not have guitars and other musical instruments such as drums and a PA system.
“I hire the instruments, imagine US$250 per day, it’s so expensive that sometimes you can’t recover the money you put in. So my request is, if there are people who can buy me instruments, I am eager to reach the level that my father also reached,” he says.
He says they last performed a show in November last year.
Tongai Moyo (Jnr) says his passion for singing was strengthened by his father, even though he was in the choir at school.
“I thank all those who support me who worked with my father including Perfect Mateu and others,” says Tongai Moyo (Jnr).
However, Peter could not be reached on his mobile phone to give his views on the problems facing his younger brother.
