Slomo's Musical Appeal

Runodada Witness

ZimNow reporter

Franco "Slomo" Dhaka, former dancer for legendary Zimbabwean musician Alick Macheso, is making a heartfelt appeal for sponsors to support his musical ambitions. Known for his vibrant performances, Slomo dreams of recording an album to establish a legacy for his children, but he is hindered by limited financial backing.

Slomo rose to prominence as one of Macheso's most popular dancers in the Orchestra Mberikwazvo, where his unique moves and charisma earned him a devoted following. After leaving Macheso’s ensemble, Slomo embarked on his own journey, forming the Extra Kwazvose band based in Chitungwiza. Despite his success as a dancer, he aspires to reach greater heights as a musician, believing he can contribute more to Zimbabwe’s music scene by creating his own work.

However, Slomo's progress has been hampered by the lack of funds to produce and record an album. His desire to transition from dancer to recording artist is fueled by a commitment to leave a lasting musical legacy for his children, something he says would be difficult to achieve if he continued solely as a dancer.

"I have to leave something for my children," Slomo expressed. "If I continue working as a dancer, I won’t leave anything related to music for my children. I want Alick Macheso to be able to point at me and say, 'That’s my product.'"

Despite financial setbacks, Slomo remains determined to pursue his dream and has not given up on the hope of finding a sponsor. Notably, he recently turned down an offer from Macheso to rejoin Orchestra Mberikwazvo as a dancer. While he appreciates the opportunity, Slomo feels that he must forge his own path if he wants to create a lasting impact.

"I respect Macheso and everything he’s done for me, but I can’t go back now," Slomo stated. "I want to be more than just a dancer. I want to be remembered as an artist who brought something new to Zimbabwean music."