Oliver Mtukudzi

He's the biggest-selling artist ever in his native Zimbabwe, even putting people like Thomas Mapfumo in the shade. Bonnie Raitt loves him. But Oliver Mtukudzi, is happy to remain one of the hardest-working men in showbiz, still playing at least once every week - even in the country's current political turmoil.

"We all do that; we're hard-working people, every day," Mtukudzi said. "We play every week, somewhere in the country. It's the artist's duty to put on shows. Music is the only thing that people with different opinions can share."

He admitted, though, that "the troubles have affected us. If people aren't happy, and free to come to the concerts, then we know about it. But some of the reports about the situation in Zimbabwe are exaggerated. It's not like there's fire all over."

Mtukudzi is a man who's put out more than his share of music, more than 40 albums at home in the last two decades - his new record, Paivepo, currently top of the Zimbabwe charts, is now out in America.

"I'm not really influenced by traditional music in my songs. I'm a social commentator."

On top of that, Mtukudzi has written and staged a musical, as well as starring in films, including the internationally-screened Jit. The movie was a turning point for him, leading to the eventual global release of Tuku Music, the biggest-selling record ever in Zimbabwe. And it won him a famous fan.

"Bonnie Raitt and I became friends because of it, because she saw me in that film," he laughed. Raitt was so taken with his music that she used it as the basis for her own "What's Going On?" in 1997.

"She used elements from my song and added more to it. We've never written together, but I've just written a song, and I'm hoping that, if God permits, we can meet and do it together."

Unlike the mbira (thumb piano)-based music of countrymen Mapfumo or Stella Chiweshe, Mtukudzi's sound, as on the countrified "Ndiee Mubvunzo," is very familiar to Western ears.

"I'm not really influenced by traditional music in my songs. I'm a social commentator - that's what I talk about. I live with the people, so I get most of my ideas from the community I live in," he admitted. His big voice dominates everything, but the beat remains firmly rooted in Africa, with plenty of bouncy South African mbaqanga in the stew, as on "Kunze Kwadoka."

South Africa is just across the border. They have mbaqanga; the same music here in Zimbabwe is called fala-fala. It's it's just names and political borders - the music is exactly the same thing."

The 1998 U.S. release of his Tuku Music, the biggest-selling album ever in Zimbabwe, finally saw him going global. The record sold a very respectable 35,000 copies in America.

"The fact that Tuku Music did well shows I'm accepted, which is a breakthrough, in a way. It was unfortunate for me not have my music be international earlier."

He promoted the release with a tour, and had no idea how people would react to him.

I wasn't sure it was going to be accepted - I didn't know my audience. I was surprised when I had my first show at WOMAD USA. I thought I'd just do what I do best; I couldn't plan. By the third song, it felt like playing home. Now it's a case of giving more of what I do."

That's exactly what he does on Paivepo, which is a refinement of its predecessor, the social concern still intact, as on "Sanbi Bobe," which deals with inheritance customs. If anything, the music is sharper, with Philani Dube's guitar weaving around Mtukudzi's voice. But he's had what is, for him, an unusually long time to work on it; until quite recently, he was used to issuing two records a year.

"I'm not the only one who used to do it - we all used to release two albums a year. If you go a year without a record, people say ‘Hey, what's happening to you? We need some more from you.'"

Even though he's slowed down his recording schedule these days, Mtukudzi isn't taking it easy. "I'm writing another musical right now, and I plan on being involved in more stage plays. Writing music, performing is what I can do best, what I can give to people."

This article first appeared on Sonicnet.com

Oliver Mtukudzi

"I'm not really influenced by traditional music in my songs. I'm a social commentator."

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