By Gracious Mugovera

MUSICIAN Willbroad Muponda also known as ‘Willom Tight’ is back in the music scene with a hilarious 15-track album tilted Manifesto.
It is his fourth album.
Produced and released in South Africa, Willom Tight collaborated with well known South African singers, ‘Speedy’ of Bongo Muffins and ‘Bongo Riot’ from Gang of Instruments to release a flawless album. He signed a contract with Shamiso Music and Entertainment, a South African- based multimedia firm.
According to Willom Tight, working on an album in South Africa presented him with a rare opportunity to increase his popularity.
“I did this album with other international singers in South Africa so that I can venture into new territories while increasing my fan base,” he said.
The spokesperson of Shamiso Music and Entertainment, Gilbert Muvavarirwa, said they accepted Willom Tight to record the album in South Africa because they wanted to bring the best out of him.
“We needed to redefine Willom Tight’s musical journey, direction, vision, brand proposition, sound architecture yet drawing insights from where he is coming from,” said Muvavarirwa.
In order to achieve this, said Muvavarirwa, we also recruited contributing song writers, producers and musicians who were drawn from different professional musical backgrounds so that they could provide their unique sounds in order to bring the best out of one of Zimbabwe’s best artiste.
Willom Tight has remained one of Zimbabwe’s finest since his heyday with Mateo Kaunda.
It was his unique contribution to the music industry that made him popular countrywide.
Starting as a rapper at Mateo and Friends to singing Afro-jazz, Willom Tight is now concentrating on an Afro -centric genre that introduces Zimbabwean cultural heritage to the world. In this new album, Muvavarirwa said Willom Tight explores and blends other musical styles and genres.
Yet to be officially launched in Zimbabwe, the new album was recorded and completed in three months and videos for some of the tracks are to be shot in South Africa this month.
“With this album, Willom Tight has secured international physical and electronic distribution for all his future album releases,” said Muvavarirwa.
“International tours and concerts are on cards.”
Willom Tight is one musician who celebrates African culture through praising beauty of the continent and its people.
In the late 90s, he was a member of the Zim Jam group before joining Mateo Kaunda and Patience Musa to form the group Mateo and Friends.
He has also collaborated with some of Zimbabwe’s finest musicians that include Oliver Mtukudzi and Dino Mudondo.
His previous albums include Hodzeko (2003), Kuza Ngoma (2007) and Chinyerere (2011).
It was after Kuza Ngoma when he split with fellow musician Dino Mudondo with whom he had recorded tracks such as ‘Bhazi’ and ‘Makoikoi’.