Castro-loving urban groover on a mission

Castro-loving urban groover on a mission

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By Torby Chimhashu

IT is uncommon to find an educated and seemingly exposed Zimbabwean, especially one domiciled in the United Kingdom, to exhibit some skills and unbridled love for old tradition.

But for Ngonidzaishe Muregi, affectionately known as Squila by those enamoured with his modern beat - the urban grooves - the ambers of yester year heroes are igniting the fires of revival in him.

He has recorded his debut album, Chapter One, and a video Back to Africa and Get Ready, all now on the self-publishing website YouTube.com and MySpace (visit page).

At 23, the London-based Zimbabwean singer sees the future in a new musical genre which many believe will die a natural death.

"There is life in urban grooves. I don't think it is right to paint everyone involved in the music with the same brush of failure. All we need to be told is how to perfect our own grooves while remaining original," he said in an interview this week.

"I am a strong proponent of urban grooves. To dismiss the music or musicians behind this new wave, is tantamount to a Christan believing in atheism.

"Zimbabweans need to give the music a chance. It is fair to point the direction the music should take than saying it is for no hoppers and so on," Squila told New Zimbabwe from East London.

Squila's love for music can be traced to Grade 4. It all started with the hit Zii-Zii by the late Leonard Dembo which saved the then pupil from the cane during a class music competition.

"I just knew one song and it was Zii-Zii by mukoma (brother) Dembo. It was easy to sing and I decided it was my escape route from the stick. I felt lighter after the competition. But what I didn't know was that this was the beginning of a journey into music,'" he recalled.

"From there on, I would change English lyrics to Ndebele and Shona. This helped me in practising."

For the greater part of his upbringing and the later years in high school, at Dadaya Mission, Squila tuned to more beats from yester-year singers such as the late Solomon Skuza and System Tazvida of Boyz DzeSmoko.

Museve music or Sungura also have an influence on his music. The upcoming groover is looking forward to watching his favourite star Alick Macheso and Allan Chimbetu during their UK tour later this week.

Squila, who has a penchant for stirring controversy, is a huge admirer of Cuban despot Fidel Castro and Cuban late revolutionary Ernest Che Guevara.

He revealed: "I am inspired by what Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Chaminuka stood for. Their struggle for social and economic justice is sadly absent from our motherland.

"While I might love Castro and those that resonate with President Robert Mugabe's style of rule and belief, I am far away from being an admirer of the Zimbabwean leader."
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