Innocent Muraiwa
Mutare- Following reports of vicious violation of artists’ rights to timely songs publication by producers within the country, Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) has said it undermines the position of artists as the vital soldiers of entertainment.
Speaking on the rights of artists, ZIMURA Chief Executive Officer Polisiwe Ncube Chimhini said when recording songs, artists should first sign up an agreement with regards to the final processing period of the song so that they will not be lagging behind their expected publishing time.
“I have received a deluge of complaints from artists who after visiting nearest studios and get their music back some days after the production took place. Such acts are unlawful and if any artist feels they are suppressed of their right to timely songs publication due to producers’ deliberations, they should bring reports to the police as such illegal actions attract immediate punishment,” said Ncube.
Ncube further illustrated that it is unlawful for producers to alter the composed content of an artist’s songs without any form of consultation or consent from the latter.
Ncube unearthed some harrowing experiences which artists are encountering in the production industry saying artists have been pictured out as the most disdained group pertaining the upholding of their rights.
“Artists should not be subjected under the suffocating armpits of suppression because they play a pivotal role of entertainment,” added Chimhini.
One of artists in Mutare Tatenda Taruona said the moment they produce songs at the nearest studio, their songs will not be chased down for final editing in time and the time at which they bounce back, the songs will be parallel with that they would already have told fans to receive the good news.
Masvingo songster Marvellous Matimbe bemoaned how the delays affect progress of their music.
“As upcoming artists, we very much like to gain popularity muscle through releasing a number of songs in time, what then drags down progress is the exasperating pace of the producers who withhold our songs, thereby dispelling the public’s entertainment zeal.
“As artists with great influence in the music industry, there are people who at times book adverts with us so that we include adverts in the content, the more producers delay to release our songs, the more we create tensions with sponsors,” said Matimbe.
ZIMURA is an organization that safeguards and upholds the rights of artists so that as key for local and international entertainment, musicians will not be downgraded.
It plays a critical role through cultivating and inculcating solidarity among artists in the production industry so as to shun elements of cantankerous characters.
