Voice2Rep is a groundbreaking platform that aims to discover, develop and showcase the vocal talents of Zimbabwean youth. Now in its third year, this year’s cohort features 13 young men and women who have written and recorded songs about social ills that are affecting all of us in our communities. The project was born of a collaboration between Accountability Lab and the Magamba Network.
Cameth Mbedzi’s track “Living in Denial” on the Vakuru album packs an emotional punch. The artist shines on this track, delivering a crystal clear falsetto vocal on this track which is a meditation on the social ills and consequences of child labour.
The vocalist and songwriter – who hails from Budiriro but grew up in Gweru – is part of a teenage gospel music group called The Jesus Project (TJP) and through producing songs with them has gained some experience in the music industry. A diehard music fan, Mbedzi says he is passionate about music and that he writes songs about issues that are important to him.
“Living in Denial” is a bold and impassioned plea, with a chorus that goes: “So is this the freedom that they promised? We’re living in a lie. We’re living in denial”, a strong statement about the day to day lives that Zimbabweans face. Mbedzi’s track manages to blend elements of Afro jazz with traditional ballad elements to create a deeply affecting track. With a quiet confidence in his delivery, the listener is captivated. It’s a song that grows on you as it is a deceptively simple straightforward song.
Like others on this compilation project, Mbedzi has spoken about how transformative the whole Voice2rep process has been in their musical journey and how it helped them to level-up their musical talents through a music/camp type competition but which ended up being more collaborative as each musician supported the other:
“Our first meeting was at Gecko Gardens. The two days I spent there were magical. The food, accommodation and even the people – it was an amazing experience! Our second meeting was in Bulawayo when we recorded all night. We didn’t get to sleep – we were just recording and rehearsing. The experience really changed me in a way. I was not a social person, but now I’m really social. I can mingle.”
It is wonderful that initiatives like these exist and provide the platform that so many need to truly understand and appreciate what it means to be a professional, performance artist. We especially look forward to next year’s cohort and seeing what they bring to the fore.
You can listen to this track and more on the “Vakuru” compilation album on streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube) or by sending a message to +27600806146 on Whatsapp.
