Ramadu
Ramadu is the stage name of Dumisani Moyo, a Zimbabwean multi talented award winning Artist. As a Producer, Ramadu has established his own Label, Studio and Production house. The label is called “10th District Music”, and has recorded and produced Artists such as Nobuntu, Jeys Marabini, Blessing Nqo Nkomo, Vusa Mkhaya, Iyasa, Pascal Lopongo and many more. He established 10th Distric Music in 2006 in the city of Vienna´s 10th District location in Austria were the company name was adopted from.[1]
Background
Ramadu was born on 26 June 1975 in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Ramadu is his chosen artistic name which he prefers to use as a musician. Ramadu dropped out of school at fourteen and decided to make music his career. Today Ramadu runs a music label and studio working with different musicians from within Zimbabwe and around the globe, in a variety of styles from pop to classical music, from blues to Afro-pop to traditional roots music from southern Africa.[2]
Career
He began his career as a professional musician by joining imbube group Insingizi in 1990 formally known as Insingizi Emnyama. Ramadu recorded his first successful solo album Izambulelo in 2001 which was released in UK by ARC Music which sold more than 50 000 copies and two of his songs, namely Tholakele and Mwari-we have been used in the Hollyhood move Phat Girls and others in Films and Documentaries around the world. The album is a mixture of traditional and self-composed songs from his hometown, mostly in the Ndebele language combining traditional and modern sounds. His focus is to develop and popularize the traditional music of his culture throughout the world by staging live performances and recordings and producing music.
Still riding high with the release of Izambulelo, Ramadu needed to take his solo act to the stage to perform live. He eventually formed a band called The Afro-Vibes which was invited in big and small Festivals mostly around Austria, Germany and Slovenia.
In 2004 he co-founded a successful music project called MoZuluArt, a music group that mixes European classic music and Imbube vocal harmonies. This project has been presented to places as far as Beirut in Lebanon, Moscow, New York, Moldavia, South Africa and Senegal.
Ramadu has worked with quite a number of Artists on and offstage. Amongst them is the Euro Blues Man Hans Theessink, Zimbabwean legendary musician Themba Ndlovu, The Mbaqanga organ wizard of the Soul Brothers Moses Ngwenya, Jeys Marabini and many more.
Together with Vusa Mkhaya, Blessings “Nqo” Nkomo they still keep Insingizi alive through performances all over Europe and North America. As Insingizi they have also recorded their debut album Voices of Southern Africa in 2004 which was also successful.
He was instrumental in the formation of Nobuntu through his 10th District music, an imbube exponent with the platinum selling Insingizi. He is the group manager of Nobuntu.
Awards
- As Insingizi he was awarded with the Prix France Musique de Monde 2010 (Radio France World Music award) at the Babel Med World Music Forum in Marseille, France.
- The trio was also awarded the 2019 Outstanding Arts Ambassadors (Rest of the World) at the third edition of the Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards.
Videos
