KUDZAI CHITSATSO & TAKUDZWA HILLARY CHIWANZA
AMERICAN-based reggae songstress Marilana Ras Dumpling has expressed her huge love for Zimbabwe in a new song titled ‘Mudiwa Wangu Zimbabwe,’ which was produced by local producer Counage of Honeymoon records.
The song is a mellow exposition in which Marilana professes the type of undying love for country that qualifies one as patriotic, at least in the friendly, benign sense of the word patriotic. With a deep yearning for a physical visit to her country that remains unresolved, Marilana’s only recourse lies in utilizing music to talk about her place of provenance. And she did it gracefully.
Which is what infuses life in the song. Marilana Ras Dumpling shows an unhurried element that makes her music worthwhile, and this is the strongest aspect of her work. Of course, one can still wonder what this type of song -- where profound love of a country that has never been visited is expressed -- could have been had she found the opportunity to visit Zimbabwe. In any case, this does not diminish or limit the potency of her lyricism.
She sings as a person burning with loads of inspiration; and one of the positive aspects to be gleaned from her approach is working with Zimbabwean producers. Counage’s touch grounds the song at least in the physicality that Ras Maliana sorely longs for. And from a pure musical perspective, that is admirable. It blends well with the name of the riddim, viz. ‘No Pain’ and echoes a very cliche understanding of reggae music -- when reggae music hits you, you feel no pain. Except this is not an understatement. It is a real feeling that is telegraphed by the song. It is all about connecting with the motherland.
It is real love simply packaged in a beat and lyrics. And Marilana is cautious not to make it just 'one of those tropes' by the diaspora.
We caught up with Ras Marilana, who said she wishes for a tour in Zimbabwe very soon, and had an interesting and illuminating chat about her latest single ‘Mudiwa Wangu Zimbabwe’.
Enjoy the conversation.
What inspired you to create this single? What's the story or the message behind it?
The name of the riddim is ‘No Pain,’ and it comes from a producer in Zimbabwe called DJ Counage of Honeymoon Records. When I heard it, I naturally had this feeling and connection that in Zimbabwe, there would be no pain.
Oftentimes, people give us a hard time, but it's the land, it's nature, it's God that embraces us. Zimbabwe is the cradle of every civilization. The tone and melody of the riddim gave me such a feeling of warmth, acceptance, and love. That was the primary inspiration.
The seed for the song was the inspiration from the people of Zimbabwe—their humbleness, their beauty, and their love of reggae music. The biggest challenge was that I've never been to Zimbabwe yet. I wanted to do a video that truly captured the moments, so I used some clips from a documentary on Victoria Falls. But to be honest, I’m not satisfied. I still need to visit.
Can you tell us about the creative process?
I don't really have any habits or rituals when writing. I just either have an idea and write a story, or I let the music speak to me. It's often the silence in the music that gives me the melody, and very often, a hook comes right away. Sometimes the whole song is already there, as if Jah just granted me the vision.
Are there any new sounds or themes you're exploring in this single?
Yes. I definitely play a little bit more with the language and try to speak some Shona with the proper accent. I’ve worked with a couple of producers from Zimbabwe, and DJ Counage is a new one for me. This was our first single, and I think he did an excellent job. I love the sound—I guess you'd call it like ZimDancehall, but it’s also got a real country feel. I just love it; it’s a "no pain" riddim.
How does this single fit into your overall artistic vision or discography?
I feel I have a very global perspective on my music. I like blending genres. I get that we have to separate them for awards and for listeners who have a specific ear, but my music has a more global approach. My team and I really loved the production, and it aligns perfectly with my vision.
Are there any future projects or collaborations in the works?
Yes, right now, specific to Zimbabwe, we have interest from a few of our producers to put a show together. We are also currently working on a second project with DJ Counage. And we have a single on the biggest reggae riddim right now, the 2Time riddim, that was just entered into the Grammys. This is going to be a very big year for me and my fast-growing independent label, Clean Way Records TM.
What was the most challenging part of creating this single?
The only obstacle was not being on the ground in Zimbabwe—not being able to really capture that feeling, smell the soil, see the sights, and record in the studio directly with DJ Counage and Honeymoon Records. But sometimes a little mystery and miracle happen. It was a great experience, and I was definitely surprised by the quality and how well he received my vocals on this track.
Stream the track below and share with the world your thoughts:
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