Zimbabwe: Harmony Singers Win Unchallenged

Zimbabwe: Harmony Singers Win Unchallenged

The Herald (Harare)

8 November 2007
Posted to the web 8 November 2007

Tatenda Chipungudzanye
Harare

Chitungwiza Harm-ony Singers, the only group contesting in the Zimbabwe Music Awards Best Mass Choral category was yesterday declared the 2007 winners.

Sungura rivals Alick Macheso and Tongai Moyo will have to battle it out in four categories. Thomas Deve - who is the chairperson of the Zima adjudication panel - announced the 2007 nominees in Harare ahead of the grand finale to be held on November 28 at Meikles Hotel.

Macheso and Moyo face each other in the Song of the Year, Best Live Performance of the Year, Best Male Artiste and Best Sungura categories while their producer Bothwell Nyamho-ndera has been nominated for the Producer of the Year award for Macheso's Ndezvashe-eh and Pinda Panyanga by Moyo. A new recording outfit, Artisan Studio has five entries in Phillip Gokoko, who has been nominated for the Most Promising Artist award and for the Best Video of the Year award while Romeo Pfeka will compete in the Best Gospel award and Best Male Artiste.

Gokoko's producer Allen Dzobo has been nominated for the producer of the year award. Deve bemoaned lack of new products from female urban groovers and Chimurenga artistes. Mushawaparara Mbira Group that had been nominated for the Best Mbira award was dropped yesterday when it was discovered that the album submitted -- Chamuko-njwora Chakoromoka - was released in 2002.

After consultation Mushawaparara was dropped. There are no nominees in Mbaqanga and Imbube categories, which were introduced this year.

All the categories with their nominees are as follows:

1. Best Gospel (Female)

Rumbidzai Zvirikuzhe: Mwari Inhare

Shingisai Suluma: Maitiro Enyu

Fungisai Zvakavapano: Zvirevo

2. Best Gospel (Male)

Diva Mafunga: Ndicharamba Ndichidana

Sebastian Magacha: Shekinah Glory

Romeo Pfeka: Kure Kwemakomo

Tawanda Mutyebere: Mweya

3. Best Urban Grooves (Male)

Xtra Large: Still at Large

Leonard Mapfumo: NaMapfumo

ExQ: Love is My Religion

4. Best Urban Grooves (Female)

Betty Makaya: Betty

Edene: Edene

Carole Nyakudya: This is Now

5. Best Traditional/Contemporary

Oliver Mtukudzi: Tsimba Itsoka

Black Face: Black Muzik

Never Gasho: The Chief

6. Best Jazz

Dudu Manhenga: Jula

Mono Mukundu: Super Ngezha

Ma Leather: African Embassy

7. Best Sungura

Tongai Moyo: Pinda Panyanga

Alick Macheso: Ndezvashe-eh

Nicholas Zakaria: Mbuva Yeupenyu

8. Best Choral

Vabati Vevhangeri: Gare Gare