Anesu Mirisawu
SENIOR ENTERTAINMENT WRITER
SUNGURA musician First Farai turns 53 this week with the veteran entertainer promising to release more music as he seeks to build on a career spanning several decades.
Farai, who celebrates his birthday on Thursday, will mark the occasion with a show at Steakhouse in Harare featuring fellow musicians Suluman “Sulu” Chimbetu, Peter “Dhewa” Moyo, Allan “Professor” Chimbetu, Mark “Church Yepanze” Ngwazi, Simon “Cobra” Mtambi and Andy Muridzo, among others.
The Secret Number hit-maker said reaching 53 had given him an opportunity to reflect on his musical development and the role of faith in his career.
“I’m grateful to have reached this milestone. This is not because I am clever, but by God’s grace, and I am thankful for the time He has given me to mature musically,” Farai said.
Farai began performing as a child, entertaining schoolmates at primary school functions and taking part in church plays. He said his first experiences on stage included a performance in which he was placed inside a box and asked to imitate a radio.
“That was a defining moment, and it still paints a picture of my early flair for performance. What actually happened is that at a school gathering, I was placed inside a box and asked to mimic a radio.
“The result was a roaring crowd of laughter from fellow pupils who couldn’t get enough of my delivery,” he said.
Farai later developed his acting skills through church performances before choosing music as his main career.
“That is why it is easier for me also to create music, because both are my talents. It’s just that I chose music over acting, and I also borrow the acting skills in creating music,” he said.
His career reached an international milestone in 2002 when he represented Zimbabwe at the Inter-regional Music Crossroads finals in Tanzania.
He later released several projects, including Simba Racho, which featured Secret Number, one of his better-known songs.
Farai has in recent years diversified his entertainment work through social media, where his comedy skits have attracted audiences beyond his music. He said the move was a natural extension of his personality and his long-standing interest in making people laugh.
“Making people happy is who I am. Even if I am going through a lot, I always find something to do to make me feel better through throwing jokes around. The future looks bright so far,” he said.
The musician said he was not prepared to slow down, despite reaching 53, and was already working on new material.
“My name has grown big and I still want to grow bigger, have achieved a lot and still want more. And more music is already in the pipeline.”
Farai said adapting to digital platforms had also become necessary for artists in the changing entertainment industry.
“Everything has been digitalised, it’s now a new world and I have adapted into the new life,” he said.