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Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent

BULAWAYO-based versatile musician Siza Mdlongwa is preparing to release his debut album titled Izingoma Zothando in October.

Known mostly as a gospel artiste, Siza Mdlongwa is coming out of his comfort zone and showing versatility in his career through his recent feature on the song Umona that features Madlela Skhobokhobo, Blue Rose, Mcheznana and Basotho.

Siza Mdlongwa said he is confident that his eight-track album that has a fusion of Afro-fusion and Amapiano tracks will awe fans.

“My debut album is now on the verge of coming out and I hope it will be out by October. I’m also working on visuals for one or two tracks. The album has some nice Afro-fusion and Amapiano songs because as an artiste, I’m not focused on one genre as the plan is to produce good music,” said Siza Mdlongwa.

He said the pandemic has greatly affected his career as most plans have gone down the drain.

“After my successful live DVD recording in November 2019, I was meant to tour the region. A number of projects had been earmarked to take place as I had performances in South Africa and was supposed to stage the album launch in Zambia as well as in Kenya in 2019,” said Siza Mdlongwa.

The 33-year-old musician started off performing in various singing competitions at school and won quite a number of awards. Composing songs and singing has always been his passion since childhood drawing inspiration from Msawawa, Mzambiya and Ringo Madlingozi.

Siza Mdlongwa got his first recognition at Family of God church where he was the lead vocalist in a choir group and later joined gospel outfit Vocal X in 2015 to polish his music claws. In 2018 he went solo and did his first project #SabeloSami which inspired him to stage his debut concert in Bulawayo which was a huge success.

Determined, Mdlongwa has faced quite a number of challenges in the music industry and he considers them worth it as he believes that living one’s dream is never easy.

“I’ve had a fair share of stumbling blocks. I’ve conquered some and lost some, but the most important thing is fighting all the way. It was never meant to be easy, but we keep putting in a fight to win,” he said.

Siza Mdlongwa said if local artistes are to work together and support each other, the corporate world would sponsor the music industry.

“The arts industry is capable of contributing to the country’s GDP and also curb unemployment in the country. Zimbabwe has got talent, what lacks is the unity of purpose,” said Siza Mdlongwa. – @mthabisi_mthire