Tongai Moyo
Tongai Moyo (12 March 1968 – 15 October 2011) was a contemporary Zimbabwean musician, often referred to as Dhewa. Born and raised in Kwekwe, Dhewa rose to fame in the late 1990s as a solo artist and with the band Utakataka Express.[1] Highly successful singles including "Samanyemba", "Naye", and "Muchina Muhombe" led to his national, regional and international fame; he produced 14 albums in a career of over twenty years.[2]
Tongai Moyo | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Tongai Moyo |
| Also known as | Dhewa,Igwee or Murozvi Mukuru, Veganda remvura |
| Born | 12 March 1968 |
| Origin | Kwekwe, Zimbabwe |
| Died | 15 October 2011 (aged 43) |
| Genres | Sungura |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer |
| Instruments | Lead vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1988–2011 |
| Labels | Gramma |
| Associated acts | Somandla Ndebele |
His 14th and final album, Toita Basa, was released on 25 November 2010 by record label Gramma Records.[3] The album was released while he was being treated for cancer, which had been diagnosed in 2008. The song "Ndinobvuma" was especially dedicated to his fight against the disease.[4]
Background
Tongai Moyo was an award winning popular legendary Sungura icon, who was best known for his flamboyant lifestyle. Moyo became popular in the early 1990s after releasing smash hits such as 'Samanyemba' and 'Mudzimu weshiri' with his band Utakataka Express.
Moyo was born on the 12th of March in 1968 in Kwekwe. He died on 15 October 2011. He was married to Miniehle Mukweli and had six children namely Natasha, Nicole, Obert (Tongai Jnr), Tanaka and Nyasha and Peter Moyo.
Music career
The talented musician started his career in 1988 in his home-town Kwekwe. To honor his craft, the 'Muchinamuhombe' singer, played in numerous bands and eventually joined Shirichena Jazz Band as a session musician, and helped the band to release two albums and a single. The most popular was "Ndoita Zvangu Ndega" which was released in 1991 Moyo was virtually known by then. He went on to create his own band the Utakataka Express after which he released his first solo album, 'Vimbo' in 1996. The album earned Moyo a name in the music industry, which was dominated by the likes of Nicholas Zakaria and Alick Macheso who sang the same genre. Since then, he never looked back and went on to relese 14 albums to his credit. The album "Naye" saw Dhewa hogging the limelight with his chart topper "Nemumvura Mese" which earned him two Zimbabwe Music Awards (ZIMA). At the time of his death, Moyo had just released his 14th album 'Toita Basa'.
International Tours
Dhewa travelled the length and breadth of the world giving his music fans a musical therapy. He toured the United Kingdom, USA, Botswana and South Africa at times in the company of Oliver Mtukudzi and Alick Macheso.
Discography
- Mano (May 1998)
- Vimbo (1996)
- Naku
- Vise
- Mudzimu Weshiri (2001)
- Chirangano with Somandla Ndebele (2001)
- Samanyemba (2002)
- Chingwa (June 2003)
- Pakanaka Dhewa (2004)
- Naye (2006)
- Pinda Panyanga (2007)
- Muridzi Wenyaya (2009)
- Toita Basa (November 2010)
- Moyo Wekurera with Somandla Ndebele (1999)
Death
Tongai Moyo succumbed to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at St Anne's Hospital on the evening of Saturday 15 October 2011 in Harare. Close to 15,000 people came to pay their last respects to him at Mbizo Stadium in Kwekwe.[5] He was buried in Zhombe his rural home.[6]
References
- "Zimbabwe Music Guide". Archived from the original on 2009-10-22. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
- "The late Tongai Dhewa Moyo in pictures". Retrieved 2011-10-17.
- "Documentary on Tongai Moyo to be launched". Nehanda Radio. 26 October 2011.
- "I miss Tongai Moyo: Somandla Ndebele". The Standard (Zimbabwe). 25 October 2015.
- "15 000 say goodbye to singer Tongai Moyo". Archived from the original on 2011-10-19. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
- "Tongai Moyo laid to rest, Minister Shamu hijacks funeral". Zimbabwe Daily News. 18 October 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2019.