Zimbabwean Decibel Talks about his Musical Path: “I was a bit of a noisemaker back in high school”

The word ‘decibel’ conjures several images but the underlying premise of sound remains the same. Decibel, a Multi-talented Zimbabwean musician, has gotten the attention of the global audience with his musical blend of Afro-pop, Urban Groove and Reggae. As is wont with any popular musicians, Decibel is no stranger to controversy stemming from comments that members of the Urban Groover’s community have made. I got a chance to speak to him about his story, his controversies and his plans. Here is the Interview!

How did you get that name Decibel?

I was a bit of a noisemaker back in high school and was always getting into trouble with the school monitors. So, my classmates ended up calling me Decibel - which is a unit of sound to symbolize the amount of noise I could make and the name stuck. So, when I chose to go into music, it made sense to continue using that nickname.

What situation led you to music?

I love to sing as a kid, and I remember going to parties in my early teens just to wait for the music to start so I can start free-styling (putting my lyrics and sound to music), and I started getting popular, some even wanted me to come to their parties and perform my freestyles. A friend told me to take my talent seriously and I listened to him.

How did you get the attention of the record industries?

A friend of mine took me to a studio. I cut a demo and sent it in and I waited. I waited for months and eventually I was signed on.

What challenges have you faced so far within the industry?

I think my main challenge is getting into the mainstream market and getting my music on the same platform as other well-known musicians.

What genre is your brand of music? There seems to be conflicting views where you your music belongs - Urban Grooves, Afropop?- ?

I will say R&B, Hip hop, Basement reggae dancehall. It is mostly journalists that try to place my music. To me, it is all about the sounds.

Rumor has it that you have some beef with the Urban Groover community, true?

Not at all. I believe some people within the industry get slightly jealous when listeners say that “so and so is the best” and they refuse to accept it, so they resort to ‘dissing’. By the way, I didn’t call myself the best.

So what are your thoughts about Urban Groove?

It is a new kind of vibe, but there’s more to come from it. It is a developing genre.

I noticed that within your music, there seems to be a lack of authentic Zimbabwean sounds - is there a particular reason for this lack?

Actually, there is. In my song ‘Nakai’, you hear sounds like the ‘mbira’ in the background and though it sounds like a mixture of Jazz and R&B, listeners know that element of my culture is there. I will say this: I do not use Zimbabwean instruments throughout my music, just a little bit of it here and there when there is room for it.

Is your song ‘Chido’ based on a real life situation?

I do not write music that relates to me. I think of myself as more of a social commentator.

When I think of the term social commentator - I think of people who use their music to talk about changes that need to take place within their communities. How is yours a social commentary?

Well, I will say that my music focuses on the ‘positives’ - like love and partying. My music gives people an escape.

How did you convince your parents that music is the right path for you?

My parents didn’t knowing when I decided to take singing serious, besides, I was working as a biochemist at that time. My mum found out when she listened to the number one song in Zimbabwe from a young man called Decibel who sounded like her son. (Laughs).

What advice will you give a young person who wants to follow in your foot step?

They have to work hard and they have to realize that even if people do not understand what their music is about, they need to keep on fighting and not give up.

What is next for Decibel?

I’m currently working on a project (new CD) and it’s almost finished - I’m at the polishing stages. I wanted to release it in Zimbabwe before anywhere else but with the current situation, I do not know how feasible that will be.

What are your thoughts on the current situation in Zimbabwe?

It is sad. You know, Zimbabwe is a really beautiful country but with the economic and political situation, the rich seem to be getting richer and the poor seem to be getting poorer. I wish they will come up with a solution quickly.

Pamela is really curious about this: What’s up with Zimbabweans and Reggae?

(Laughs)I grew up listening to Reggae music. When Zimbabwe got its independence in 1980; Bob Marley came to Zimbabwe to perform. Everyone remembers his coming to Zimbabwe and many got hooked to his brand of music after his great performance.

Extra:

Decibel, a trained biochemist loves his career as one of Zimbabwe’s contemporary and well loved young musicians. You can get his music from iTunes, Amazon, Napster, and Rhapsody.

Here is Decibel’s interview with Pamela on SARFM: