Oliver Mtukudzi African Voices Interview On CNN [Link Inside]

Zimbabwean superstar Oliver Mtukudzi was interviewed on CNN’s African Voices recently and the interview was aired first on 4th January 2013.

: Oliver Mtukudzi Wilfred Paulse / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

In an interview that touched on various issues specific to his career.

The highlights of his interview, the humble Tuku said his first note was when he was born, and that was his first musical composition.

He said music should entertain, give hope and life to the people. If a song does not touch the heart, it can be a good composition not a good song. Tuku says from where he comes from, music must always have a message.

On being called the Spiritual Father of Zimbabwe he said that he could not call himself that but would not tell people to stop calling him that. However as far as he was concerned he was just Oliver Mtukudzi, the music side.

He also touched on the times when he had to go to South Africa to buy bread from South Africa at the height of Zimbabwe’s troubles.

Tuku said as an artist he was above politics because he lifted the flag of Zimbabwe high as whole. A politician when being interviewed represents a certain group of people.

Tuku spoke about HIV/AIDS stigma and how he lost close family to the condition. He is also anti-polygamy it turns out.

He also spoke movingly about the death of his son Sam, who passed away in a car accident on 15 March 2010. He called Sam a special boy who he got to know better after he died because of what people told him about Sam. He said he had failed to release music over two years trying to recover.

Tuku also added that he can’t retire from himself, adding ‘I’m doing me’.

You can watch a good section of the Interview on the CNN website by clicking here. You can also get a bit more here.The third section deals with the loss of his son Sam. Click here to watch that