Bulawayo musician using his music as the voice of the voiceless

Bulawayo musician using his music as the voice of the voiceless

Music has since been the voice of the voiceless and a celebratory form of storytelling which heals broken souls while giving hope to the hopeless. This aligns to the Bulawayo-based artist Bhila who uses his music to tell the truth about society while incorporating the rich African sound to create a unique storytelling experience.

Bhila’s music reflects his personal experiences, and he hopes to create a well-informed society that understands and appreciates the value of culture through his art. Bhila’s themes range from Lobola appreciation to societal issues, and he hopes to bring healing through his music.

Mathapelo

“My music seeks to create a well-informed society that understands our culture and its beauty. My newly released song Mathapelo celebrates us as men to appreciate the value of Lobola. It’s somewhat personal, but I believe Mathapelo is personal to us all,” he said.

Despite the challenges he faces as an artist in Zimbabwe, Bhila remains optimistic and believes that consistency and constructive engagement with the people who love his music is key.

“If you are an artist, you have to learn to wait, suffer… so find a job that will put food on the table. It’s not easy in the music industry,” he said.

Authenticity

However, Bhila remains committed to his art, and he has already made a name for himself in the Afrobeats scene. His music is heavily influenced by poetry, and he utilizes a lot of wordplay in his songs. While he hopes his music will fit into the international market, he does not compromise on authenticity to achieve this.

Despite the challenges that the Zimbabwean economy poses to the art industry, there are still platforms and venues that promote live music in Bulawayo. These include Chiefs Village, The Place, and Redcafe. Bhila hopes to perform there one day and connect with his fans.

Bhila’s creativity also extends to his collaborations. He has great respect for artists such as Luminous, Vuyo Brown, and Murphy Cubics. However, when he writes a song, he already has a perfect picture of the artist who can cover the gap. He would love to work with producers like Vuyo Manyike, who is based in South Africa.

Adapting to Change

Incorporating current trends and innovations in afrobeats remains important to Bhila, and he notes that the piano wave has impacted many genres to change their sounds and be similar to piano.

“Nowadays, we see many afrobeats and hip hop beats adding the famous log drum, which is used in piano beats,” he said.

Despite all the challenges, Bhila remains hopeful and continues to create music that reflects his personal experiences while also celebrating African culture.

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