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Siphakeme Mnindwa, Showbiz Reporter

ZIMBABWE has contributed to the successful hosting of the Fifa World Cup in Qatar through music.
You read that right — Qatar-based composer and singer Lloyd Madziya aka Papaa Llodza is doing his bit to rally the world of football and put Zimbabwe on the football map through music.
How has he done that? Stadia in Qatar have rocked to Alle Annabi Yalla, a bilingual sub-World Cup anthem chorus he was heavily involved in creating. Papaa Llodza was invited to Qatar by Inmanetica to help produce the song.

ZIMBABWE has contributed to the successful hosting of the Fifa World Cup in Qatar through music.

Inmanetica is a rock and funk music band based in Doha, Qatar. The members of the band are singers Carlos Gomez and Paula Alejandra and Cesar Narvaez, the band’s primary composer and pianist.
Just under four minutes long, the catchy tune represents one of the highlights of his musical endeavours as it has taken him to the global stage in Qatar. The musicians featured in the song are drawn from Colombia, Zimbabwe, Qatar, India, Scotland and Lebanon.

Llodza, who became famous thanks to the 2020 hit song Hupenyu, has been writing music since the 2000s and has been recording since 2008. By happenstance, he got the big break that propelled him to the world stage through the World Cup song.
He moved to Qatar in 2020 after a short stay in South Africa. He refused to reveal why he moved to Qatar.

“It’s actually funny because I was asleep at my home in Qatar and I woke up to a text from the producer who wrote the song, who is my friend. He called me to the studio to help him with a chorus for a song, only to find out it was a World Cup song. I saw a great opportunity that I grabbed with both hands. Then everything followed,” said Papaa Llodza.

Along with Colombian vocalist Daniel David Gomez, Papaa Llodza recorded the chorus. The song’s composition was a great experience, according to him.
“I am grateful for the opportunity and I couldn’t let it go,” he says.

Fifa World Cup in Qatar

It doesn’t end there, the 38-year-old tells Saturday Chronicle: “I performed at a Fifa fans zone accredited by Fifa to entertain the fans.”The Thomas Mapfumo and the late Oliver Mtukudzi fan was raised in Mutoko and went to high school in Chitungwiza. He describes his music as modern.
“I’m looking to make songs in diverse genres, but the core will remain Afro-check. It blends several musical styles, including Chimurenga and Afropop”.