I have paid my dues, says Muso Ali Moyana
The muso from Mabayeni says he has been around and seen it all
The Village Voice
Limpopo born Afro jazz artist Ali Moyana says he has paid his dues in showbiz.
The musician who was born at Mabayeni Village under the Madonsi Traditional Council has met legendary artists in his career.“I have worked closely with the late legendary crooner General MD Shirinda, the late oliver Mtukudzi and the internationally acclaimed Congolese music great Kanda Bongoman,” said Moyana.He adds: “That means I have paid my dues because you do not work closely with top musicians and remain ordinary.”
The artist who belongs to the Gumbi clan was born in the 70s with a walking disability but has defied the odds to become a very successful musician.He traces his music from the time he was a member of the Shigombe Primary school junior choir under the baton of Mrs Betty Mathebula, wife of Dr Gulukhulu Mathebula, a veteran community leader.“I learnt the art of composing songs while a member of the choir under the tutelage of Mrs Mathebula,” he said.“In those early years, my uncle Mzamani Moyani used to call me qambi ya ka Moyana (meaning the Moyana composer,” he said.“He said it so many times that I realised he was not flattering me but was serious. This motivated me,” he said.Born at Mabayeni but attended school at Shigombe in the neighbouring village of Jilongo, he went to Tshwane in 1993 to further his studies.His talent was later recognised by the legendary Xitsonga traditional musician, General MD Shirinda of Graceland album fame.“General Shirinda later introduced me to Solly Khoza who was a music producer for *Coolspot. He *engaged me as the principal composer for Ben Baloyi’s Xitsonga traditional music album recorded at David Gresham Studios in 1999,” he said.Moyana recorded his first offering in 2001.The popular Afro soul/pop track Tsakane was recorded at Rev N.J. Tshwane’s Genesis Production Studio in Germiston.The following year, CCP/EMI released Ali’s album nationally following popular demand.
The title track Tsakane was nominated for the Munghana Lonene Xitsonga Music Award in 2002 and also won Song of The Year for the Giant Reefs Music Awards.He later linked up with Mike Maswanganye of GALLO / CCP/EMI and MBS Music who was the doyen of music production.After taking a break from showbiz to focus on his studies, he later took a position at the department of health as a Finance Administrator.The music bug never ceased to bite him.Then In 2013, Ali returned the music industry and teamed up with the late Oliver Mtukudzi’s daughters Sandra and Selmor Mtukudzi signing up with *Next Music *for a global distribution deal for their collaboration project titled *Ali Moyana Ft: Selmor Mtukudzi We thank you (Haku Khensa)* released in 2014.
This offering had songs like Jele Ngoni and Isizwe sakwaGumbi.The song received a nomination for the Munghana Lonene Fm 2014 Xitsonga Music Awards.Followed was an approach from the legendary Kanda Bongo Man and the late Oliver Mtukudzi who persuaded him to organise joint performances.In 2017 Ali recorded his Afro soul/jazz album entitled *Simomondiya which was not commercially released. In that* album Ali featured Zimbabwean Jazz and Gospel artists like the well-known music sound engineer and gospel singer Jonathan Mgazi, Afro-jazz artist Gaylord Mhlanga and Mylenda Mgazi on vocals.He later teamed up with Oliver Mtukudzi’s son Aaron Mtukudzi to expand into the world of Afro Jazz / World Music.Je is now established in the domain.“I sing in different languages such as Xitsonga, Swahili, Ndau, Zulu, Tswana, Shona and English making myself an artist for all Africa.His new offering has songs like NGIKUTHANDILE, TAMBIRA, NDINOTENDA, MBIRA DZENDAU, and GHETTO CHILD AND CANAAN.
THE first single is the title track NGIKUTHANDILE. He plans to have global releases using digital platforms and is also considering shooting music videos for this new project.He plans to come up with an aggressive marketing campaign for his music so it could be heard in all public platforms.
