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Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent
The ZIMBABWE Music Rights Association (Zimura) has called on female artistes to up their game through broadening their fan base in order to get airplay on radio stations.

This comes after the recent release of the 2020/21 top 20 highest-earning musicians in terms of royalties disbursed by the organisation where only male artistes appeared on the list.

Zimura is an association of composers and publishers of music that was created to protect the rights of musicians under copyright law and to collect royalties on behalf of the musicians from radio stations that would have played their music.

These royalties are disbursed to artistes every year in June.

According to Zimura, the organisation collected $23 million in royalties from Star FM, ZiFM Stereo and ZBC and the money is being distributed to 3 300 Zimura members.

The organisation also collected US$30 810 for disbursement to foreign musicians.

The highest-earning musician reportedly received $400 000 (approximately US$4 700 on the official market) while the lowest-earning musician received $12.

The list was dominated by contemporary musicians and late musicians who passed away many years ago held their own as they outperformed a vast number of living artistes.

Jah Prayzah topped the list followed by the late Oliver Mtukudzi, Winky D, Ex Q, Freeman, Killer T, Takura, the late Simon Chimbetu, Leonard Dembo and Alick Macheso who was on number 10.

On number 11 was the late Zimdancehall superstar Soul Jah Love who was followed by Lovemore Majaivana, Nutty O, Tocky Vibes, Solomon Skuza, Jeys Marabini, Alexio Kawara, Nicholas Zacharia, Sizwangendaba Ncube and Andrew Mupembewho was on number 20.

Zimura deputy director, Henry Makombe told Saturday Leisure that household duties and side businesses can be attributed to the females’ absence in the top 20 list.

“I believe that women have more responsibilities than their male counterparts outside their musical career as they need to attend to house chores and help children with homework among other duties.

“Some are formally employed while others run their own businesses. This poses a big challenge to then strike a balance on all those competing responsibilities. When some of them get married, they stop singing as their husbands will not be supportive,” said Makombe.

He said such issues then make it difficult for female musicians to compete with their male counterparts.

“It’s absolutely difficult for women to compete with men as the playground is not level. More therefore, needs to be done by the female musicians,” said Makombe. – @mthabisi_mthire