Zimbabwe Women in the gospel music industry

In Zimbabwe there has always been a very strong misconception about women in the music industry.Most of the women are often perceived as either people who are lacking in moral values, loose women , promiscuous persons, sex objects or undisciplined people who have rebelled against society. One can say the patriarchal society is still dominating in Zimbabwe and some men do not want to accept gender equality though women know their rights.There are not very many women in show business in Zimbabwe because they fear being ill-treated by men in the music entertainment industry.

Most of the women need to be determined to break all the old ideas that men are superior than them.When they do this they are bound to be noticed as few women attempt to do it that  is why all the women who have had the guts to take up the microphone in Zimbabwe are noticed straight away.One of the gospel artist that has stood up in the gospel music industry is Fungisai Zvakavapano.Most of the people like her music as it teaches them about God and also some of the women are also inspired.

Fungisai Zvakavapano (pic) jivezimbabwe.com

One can note that there is  little representation of women in show business though music products are bought by both male and female fans. The majority of women who sing are used as backing singers by male artists. Only the brave ones front the stage.A number of songs are connected with the relationship between men and women and unfortunately because the majority of song writers happen to be male, women are usually placed in a derisory role.

Attitudes from society for male musicians are usually very negative as very few people regard being employed as a musician as work. They are worse when the musician happens to be a woman. A woman who sings in a band in Zimbabwe is usually perceived by our society as a ‘loose’ or ‘easy’ woman which is not true. The female gospel musicians are pressured by members of the society not to wear clothes which are deemed to be indecent just because they are gospel singers.

Fungisai (pic) facebook.com

A lot of women are found in the gospel arena because it is a safe platform from which to land oneself onto the music scene. Because people fear God, it is difficult for male chauvinists to stop their daughters from singing about God, just like they find it difficult to stop their wives from going to church. Names such as Ivy Kombo, Fungisai Zvakavapano, Mercy Mutsvene, Joice Simeti, Olivia Charamba and Shingisai Suluma are found in Zimbabwe gospel circles while few who have braved it outside the gospel arena include Hope Masike, Betty Makaya, Dudu Manhenga, Stella Chiweshe, Sandra Ndebele, Patience Musa, Selmor Mtukudzi.