Dearth, according to the dictionary, means a scarcity or lack of something.
This sums up the results of the much hyped Zimbabwe Music
Awards (Zima) event which was held virtually on Saturday, as it failed to live
up to expectations with the lack of creativity being the greatest crime of the
organisers.
Although this year’s edition had a flak for controversial
nominees list, the final show was also condemned by the majority of viewers
owing to the drought of creativity and poor stage direction.
The Zima ceremony is held annually to celebrate Zimbabwean
artists and is a noble concept to champion the growth of the arts industry.
This year’s edition was held virtually owing to strict
Covid-19 lockdown regulations which do not allow public gatherings.
Being one of the biggest arts awards event in the country,
many expected an overwhelming response and big numbers in viewership, but the
social media engagement was a big yawn!
The event attracted a paltry 300 viewers, as fans were most
likely turned off by lack of art direction that was a far cry of what is
expected of such a ceremony.
Information on social media spread like veld fire and the
comments section on the live stream were a major tutn-offto would-be viewers. The
poor choreography of the show led critics to ask where Zima is getting it wrong.
Many critics have submitted that the organisers need to
employ and delegate roles in the production of the show.
“There is need to hire creative directors, choreographers,
stage managers, sound engineers and so forth,” said Ashley Mudoni-Chuma, an
event management consultant.
“They must get the right people for each role and assign a
stage manager to take care of the aesthetics of the show.”
The fear to experiment by local creative directors is also
killing the vibe and appeal of the show. Apart from the creative aspect, the
technical side of the Zima awards was also a major party pooper.
Technical glitches and poor sound quality punctuated the
event. But the event was pre-recorded, which should have given the directors
room to perfect the act before going on air.
Most big artistes snubbed the awards and did not submit
entries, with many arguing that they did not subscribe to mediocrity. The
Saturday show gives lends weight to their cause of absconding the awards.
It becomes a big joke! The amount of hiccups and breakdowns
left a lot to be desired and the streaming was below average. The stage set up
contained a dining suite, with three presenters, making it resemble a
television talk show.
The presenters — Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa, Rumbidzai Takawira
and Arthur Evans — were pre-occupied with long discussions, robbing viewers of
the time to watch performances and winners’ announcement. Some may argue that
the presenters were simply following the script, but it was a disservice to
viewers.
The virtual concept was good, but it was not executed
perfectly. At least having one host, instead of three, could have been enough.
Zima could have done better by creating a carnival
atmosphere for the awards — a decorated stage with all the visuals indicating
the nominees etc. On the perfomances, Zimdancehall musician Poptain had a bad
day in the office.
He delivered a lukewarm act which was worsened by inaudible
backtrack. The show just cut off in the middle and that was the end, forcing
organisers to make a public apology. “We would like to apologise for the
interruption of the production,” said Zima in a statement.
“Our service providers had technical difficulties that were
beyond their control. The full list of winners will be posted on our social
media platforms shortly. Thank you for your support.”
The statement sparked uproar from social media users. “I
think they are taking us for granted, not respecting the awards in Zimbabwe.
Every year they have some controversies, why don’t they learn from their
mistakes.
“Why can’t they have people who know how to assist them,”
said one commentator. The latest development puts Zima at a risk of losing
corporate sponsorship because of poor creativity, which is bad for brand visibility and
credibility too.
Zima organisers must take a leaf from international shows and learn how a
show of such magnitude is hosted. There is nothing new under the sun.
Despite the faults, Zima should be commended for hosting
the show under harsh conditions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last year, they put up a good show, and this year they
deserve the benefit of the doubt because of Covid-19.
At least the show had perfect camera work. Zima also paid tribute to those artistes who
died in 2020-2021 as they played their tracks. The show had surprise winners
who included Tahle WeDzinza, Brity Yonly and Crisswiss and The Dot.
Below is the full list of winners:
BEST COVID 19 SONG — Indosakusa – COVID-19
BEST AFROPOP — Nox
BEST ALTERNATIVE — Tahle WeDzinza
BEST NEWCOMER — Holy Ten
BEST VIDEOGRAPHER — Umsebenzi Ka Blaqs
BEST DANCE/HOUSE/KWAITO — Mzoe 7
BEST ZIMDANCEHALL — Jah Master
BEST HIPHOP — Holy Ten
BEST RNB & SOUL — Hillyz
BEST CHINYAKARE/CHIMURENGA — Brity Yonly
BEST EZODUMO/IMBUBE — Nkwali
BEST CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL — Michael Mahendere
BEST TRADITIONAL GOSPEL — Mambo Dhuterere
BEST SUNGURA — Nicholas Zachariah
BEST JAZZ — Mahlaba
BEST TSHIBILIKA — Madlela Skhobokhobo
BEST GROUP /DUO — Crisswiss and The Dot
BEST INTERNATIONAL ZIM ARTIST — Shasha
BEST PRODUCER — Levels Chillspot
BEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR — Sounds of Victory — Janet Manyowa
BEST VIDEO — Trevor Dongo and Feli Nandi — Mufudzi Wemombe
BEST COLLABORATION — Poptain and Allanah – Fadza Mutengi
BEST FEMALE — Janet Manyowa
BEST MALE — Jah Master
SONG OF THE YEAR — Hello Mwari — Jah Master
RETRO 1 — Safirio (Mukadota) Madzikatire
RETRO 2 — Busi Ncube
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT — Cool Crooners Herald
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