REVIEW: Selmor Mtukudzi refused to go away with new song “Kugara Namainini”

Selmor Mtukudzi refused to go away as she released her new song “Kugara Namainini” which immediately divided the internet. A Zimbabwean woman should typically “know her place” and keep her mouth shut. But Selmor is singing about “Staying with step mother.”

Some sections of the male constituency immediately endured constipation as second marriages once again endured an uncomfortable spotlight. By contrast other sections lapped it up.

Mtukudzi who is married to Tendai Manatsa, son of the legendary Zex Manatsa, is an actor and musician.

Everything Selmor is touching at the moment is turning to gold. Or dust. Depending on whom you ask. But the numbers are not lying.

The video reached 88,726 views in 11 hours. The video was Directed @NaxoFilms with the audio recorded at Manatsa Music Studio. By the 12th hour it has reached 92,201 views before 24 hours.

Selmor sings that “My parents had divorced when I was young. I stayed with mum for a bit. Mum and dad split when I was young. Dad later said: “Let me look after my kids. I want to stay with them. That’s when I realised there was a stepmum.

“I had a torrid time staying with stepmum. I was really having it. Dad was always on the road working. He left us with stepmum. Life became really ugly. I would sweep. I would do dishes. I would wash up family clothing. The other kids were seated.

“They had rice and chicken. I shared thick porridge with the dog. Their kids had rooms. I slept with maids in their room. Their kids had holidays. They left us behind. If anything went missing I was the major suspect.”

If Studio 263 was Zimbabwe’s first soap opera, ‘Keeping up with the Mtukudzis’ is the next best thing. Daisy and Selmor’s relationship surely reached an all time low. There are those who already knew. But now it’s all but confirmed.

It was also the same week in which Daisy Mtukudzi’s new Toyota Fortuner 2024 had an untimely accident at Warren Park D roundabout. She escaped unscathed but the timing was jarring.

The scene was just a few hundred meters from the place where her son Sam Mtukudzi died almost 15 years ago. Gloating haters couldn’t resist laughing at the senior citizen.

Critics in Zimbabwe love to sing the cause of “underwhelming” songs and albums where perhaps their silence should be golden. Songs need time to gain a following. Critics sometimes speak too soon.

Selmor has performed in many countries. And you don’t do that without the ability. A critic just needs to know some songs are not to his liking and that’s how the world revolves.

Musicians usually have a vault of unreleased music. It possible Selmor has simply found the right moment to release her music. It’s also possible for a song and music video to be recorded in record time.

It’s been said ‘If life gives you lemons make lemonade.’ Or put simply ‘make the best of a bad situation.

Increased attention is something all Mtukudzi’s (and Manatsas) live with. One of the girls has worked at TM before and people still talk about especially with Oliver Mtukudzi’s undoubted commercial success.

His embarrassment of riches can be embarrassing in contrast to the modest but commendable efforts of her children.

Some agree with harnessing the attention to meet one’s own ends. Silencing Selmor is silencing the voices of step-children who are facing daily torment. Not all. But some. Why are we so uncomfortable with this subject?

What Zex Manatsa lacked in riches (in later life) he made up for in fatherly love. The singer of the smash hits in the 1970s and 1990s successfully integrated into normal life after a breakaway musical career, no easy feat. He was not absentee father.

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Videos exist of Manatsa hugging his children and daughter always.

His son Tendai has not held back from showing love for his wife and discussing marriage and family. So transparent is the household even strangers know his kids by name, Ben, Hannah and Troy.

No subject is more boring for detached parents than discussing your own kids and no subject is more exciting for devoted ones. Selmor and Tendai have built a ready audience for family life in 2024.

It can sometimes be monotonous or look superficial at times to romanticize family life. I mean, we all love a step-family and family drama; for other people. Even the best marriages have their sad moments and pressures. For the Manatsas it’s become an obsession.

But the unresolved problems that finally festered with the ‘Oliver Mtukudzi International Festival 2024’ gave Tendai a chance to show leadership in his own way.

He kept his counsel in the middle of the drama and maintained his dignified silence although surely he was offended by the lukewarm begrudging welcome from his second mother in law and Pakare Paye.

For some men such slights will be taken to the grave. Tendai has a wicked sense of humor. He publicly kept his mouth shut.

‘Rina Manyanga hariputirwi’ say the shona of Zimbabwe. Hide a problem long enough and it will rear its ugly head. The un-answered innuendos Daisy Mtukudzi directed at her step-daughters finally provoked a response.

Selmor and Sandra went to open up on DJ Ollah’s podcast. And now this!

Critics have invoked their inner devil and said “Selmor only sings her father’s songs. Sing your own.” And the mature elephant matriarch of 40 years (Samanyanga) added to her own repertoire (which old songs are now receiving airplay further and wider than before) with 2 songs in 10 days.

The first one “Washinga Here” quickly reached almost 100,000 views. I do wish there was a bridge to the songs. That part were the song soars before the final chorus.

No. I am not joining the critics who say “Selmor can’t sing,” the other criticism. Even the greatest of musicians have underwhelming songs and underwhelming albums. And that includes her dad. Underwhelming, from the point of view of some critics, that is.

“Wachinga here’ played to the accepted role of women, vanobvuma kurambwa, (they accept a divorce with meekness.

The feisty “Kugara Namainini” caught critics by surprise. It’s ok to discuss other people’s family problems privately and even have a good laugh. But it’s not ok to let the subject know you know.

Are Zimbabwean men normalizing the abnormal? Many Zimbabwean men (and even women) are fond of ‘a mid-life crisis’ or as some call it ‘a mid-life betrayal.’ That time when they move on or in with another woman or other women.

It’s a twisted little world in which the victims must conform and live under tyranny from a Dictator or his newfound love. This, for some has become “second nature.” Everyone else must deal with it.

A good song resonates. A good song offends. “Kugara namainini” has been declared provocative. I never stayed with a step mum but the song is become an earworm.

If there is any criticism, I feel like Selmor still has not settled in the same keys Oliver had her singing on existing live videos. But it’s not a train smash.

In itself it is evidence of the lack of guidance from the step situation, just when she needed it most. Go figure. Perhaps mixing Producers regularly with her in-house producers and composers may add to the variety.

It is an uncomfortable subject. Especially for some. The Mtukudzis are consistently bringing out our true colors, just like the dad. Art imitates life. The best song writers must answer regularly the question ‘did that happen to you?’

Selmor is having a perception problem with a certain bearded crowd. Her lyrics are too close to home.

For children born in step-families the episodes have been particularly triggering. It’s like ‘it’s all coming back to me now’ as Celine Dion said.

The other camp is running with “ari kufukura hapwa.” Or “she is revealing family secrets that are best kept secret.”

Are we ready for a strong woman? Maybe not.