Get To Know Shingi Mangoma With Youth Village

How is Shingie doing in 2015?

Shingi is doing fine…growing, learning…planning

Do you write all the songs you perform and record or you have a designated writer?

I do write all my songs, I feel comfortable that way.

Explain the concept for your music, where do you draw your inspiration from?

My inspiration is not constrained. I draw inspiration from everything and everyone. My songs are about my life, other peoples lives, what I see, what I yearn for…I am not limited

How do you prepare for your shows?

Rehearse rehearse…I live in Gweru, most shows are in Harare, I never get as much time as I would like, so a lot of it is mental preparation, I rehearse in my mind a lot because I dont always have as much access to my accompanying band. So choreography, movement and arrangement, a lot is done in my head over and over.

If you were asked to collaborate with any female vocalist from Zim, who would it be?

Hmmm Prudence is amazing!!

Who are your top 5 favorite local artist?

I’m a huge fan of Oliver Mtukudzi, Shingai Shoniwa, Prudence and my contemporaries Ammara and Tehn.

Who is your local celeb crush?

I have been thinking about this for a while…I don’t have one…but I’m on the lookout now that you have put it in my mind.

What have you learnt about pursuing your dreams?

Its all on you!! I have been approached by a lot of upcoming artists asking me to help them take their stuff to radio..or help them give them access to people etc. It was never like that for me, I just did what I had to do and came into this industry without knowing anyone. You have to trust your product, trust yourself. I dropped off my first single Run personally at radio stations. Left it at reception without knowing anyone. Only heard it playing like 3 weeks later. But I made sure my product was of a high quality and hard to ignore. Sometimes people wait on other people to help them get a foot in but really the most reliable person is yourself and you have to believe you are good enough to get where you want. Mentors and influential people gravitate to those who have put in tonnes and tonnes of groundwork for themselves.
Another thing is you have to always have the heart to try once more even if its the hundredth attempt. So many opportunities have pulled through at like the 80th dying attempt.

What do you do for fun?

Im an avid consumer of hip hop always listening to some sort of rap album..I really enjoy Kendrick Lamar. I hang out with friends and family..always laughing. I’m a laidback girl in general

How many albums do you have and when can we expect an album from you?

I actually have 0. Just a collection of singles. Currently working on that big debut!

We have noticed there a very few if not any local music videos playing on Trace, Channel O and Mtv Base, what do you think needs to be done for our industry to compete on that level?

I think its a funding issue sometimes. People are more than willing to make videos and and are doing their best with the ones they are making but a certain quality of video will cost you . Maybe we need to be more proactive about pursuing funding. Also up the game on creativity…

What has been the highlight of your career?

I really cant pick a highlight! Don’t make me please!! Lol… I really enjoyed being nominated and performing at the Zimas not because it was the most exhilarating performance but because it was on national TV I got to share it with fam and friends far and wide who never get the opportunity to see me do what I do. I had tetes, mbuyas and babamuninis who managed to see me. Very touching

If you were President for one day, what would you change and why?

If I was President for a day I would find a way to make it mandatory for presidents to do genuine and comprehensive meet the people type of tours, where presidents just walk about around people in societies without fanfare and preparation for them. A forthnightly tour in which they immerse themselves into society and talk to people, eat and chill. Sometimes I find leaders so detached from the real lives that people lead. So one time its through a taxi rank, the next in a mine town, the next in a rural area, then in a nice leafy suburb…just mix it up and get in touch with what actually happens on the street.

Shingie has such a swaggy dress sense, where do you draw your fashion inspiration from?

I do? Thank you! I think its the way I grew up, my mom is the original diva of divas. she dresses up more than I do even now. Personal presentation has always been a big thing in the house because of my mom, she has made clothes and dressing yourself a fun activity, sort of a hobby. She also used to design and sew a lot and has taught me as well. Fabrics, accessories clothes… Its our little fantasy world.

What do you look for in a life partner?

I used to always think about a life partner in a really rosy and cosy context with flowers and sunshine and laughter. But now I always think of the person I want around when down and out. When everything is grey and dismal and looking bleak..Who would I want to be with. So I’m very big on energy and vibe, I gravitate to people who can vibe with me and keep up the energy in different scenarios and moods. I am super multi faceted so can they keep up, can they inspire,can I teach them and can I also learn from them?

What do you dislike about fame ?

We dont really have strong celebrity culture in Zim. Fame is real different out here so its not super intense. But its not nonexistent, there are higger occurences of being misunderstood or misinterpreted and automatically being judged when people really don’t have a clue of what you are really about.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

You know right now I live each day as it comes. Five years ago I had no clue I would be making music for public consumption. So I leave room for greatness, leave room for my flamboyant mind to fly free. There are definitely basic admin goals though..

I definitely will have laid the foundations to my empire as a brand by then. I also will have gone international by then.

Any words of wisdom for the youth of Zimbabwe?

I think we live in a society that has these lowkey constraints. There is always someone around saying “dzikama.” Don’t fear the size of your dream, don’t run away from the fight. There will be many times you find yourself going against the grain and there will akways be comparisons between you and what society thinks you should be doing….the old school parenting trick of “look at your cousins, why cant you be like them” My words to the youth are “YOU AREN’T YOUR COUSINS” lol
But if you are going against the grain do it well. Have a total quality check for everything that you do, in many cases you will probably set precedent. Set something solid for those to follow, even if you make mistakes (because you will), document how you overcame them.

How can your fans reach you?

All my social media platforms use shingimangoma..nice and simple.
Soundcloud, Youtube Twitter, FB, Instagram…everything is shingimangoma.