Napstar Interview

How is Napstar doing in 2015?

The 1st quarter of 2015 has been fantastic for me. I was promoted at Star FM to host the breakfast show which is the highest grossing show on the station (and in the country) with a listenership of plus or minus 1 million people every week. In February I was invited to the Metro FM Music Awards in Durban South Africa and I conducted live red carpet interviews from there.

In March I hosted the 3 day celebrations of the Namibian National day as they were commemorating 25 years of independence. These celebrations were hosted by the Namibian Ambassador to Zimbabwe at the embassy. Within the same month I also got the great news that I was going to be one of the 30 young Zimbabwean leaders going to the USA for the Washington Fellowship Young African Leaders Initiative. This was after a prolonged rigorous process where the Washington office and the US Embassy in Zimbabwe were vetting the over 2000 applicants to find the leaders with the most potential to impact Zimbabwe positively in future. I will be leaving for the USA in June. In April I got invited to the South African Music Awards in Sun City South Africa for the 2nd year in a row to cover the event, conduct red carpet interviews and also learn the operations of hosting a world-class awards ceremony.

Where did you grow up and what was that like?

I grew up in so many places but all within Harare namely, Craneborne, Mabelreign, Hatfield, Queensdale, Borrowdale, Highfields, and Avondale. It was a nomadic life but that made me very sociable and gave me the ability to make friends with ease.

What schools did you attend?

Queensdale Primary School
Haig Park Junior School
St Johns High School Chikwaka
Africa University

Can you give us some background first of all on what you’ve been up to recently career-wise?

I’ve given a lot of my current operations in my response to question 1 but I’ll add my professional background.
I have a Bachelor of Business Studies Degree from Africa University (2007) majoring in Marketing. I worked in TV production for 6 years as a director and production manager before joining Star FM as a radio presenter which is my current occupation. I have 4 years experience as a TV presenter having presented Economic Forum (current), Coke on the Beat (current), Super Brand Hub (2014), and various commercials. I am also a voice artist and have been since 2008.

When did you realize you wanted to be on radio and what steps did you take?

I have loved radio all my life. Used to imitate the likes of Peter Johns, Simon Parkinson and Tich Mataz. But never dreamt that I would one day do that job. The opportunity came when Tich Mataz identified me while I was MCng a wedding and he encouraged me to audition to be a presenter on the new radio station that was coming up. And the rest is history…

How do you prepare before you go on air?

Myself and my co-presenter, Nikki, we are both producer/presenter of the show so the preparation is rigorous. We conduct a lot of research to come up with content for the show. It is imperative that as a presenter you know a lot about everything and be conversant with all the trending news topics of the day. So our preparation is mostly academic. Our show starts at 6am but we have to be at the station at 5am to finalize our content and look up events that happened in other time zones while we slept. At 9 am we finish our shift then we have a production meeting from 10 – 12 noon. After lunch we start research and calling up people to corroborate stories or to invite them to be our guests on air. Planning for the next day can take up to 6 hours so sometimes we are at work till 8pm.

If you were asked to collaborate with any presenter from Zim, who would it be and why?

It would be Tilda because she has an enviable command of Shona and Ndebele and she tackles issues that most presenters can’t stomach.

Who are your top 5 favorite local Dj’s/ Presenters?

Nikki, DJ Mox, KVG, Tilda & Misred

What have you learnt about pursuing your dreams?

Dreams are built through relationships. Be good to the people on your way up because you’ll need them on your way down

How has meeting prominent people and interviewing them changed your perception of life?

It has taught me only royalty is born into prominence and the rest of us need to work hard. Most of the prominent people I have interacted with all speak of hard work, diligence and integrity. They are human beings like everybody else but they were willing to push harder and further than most.

Who is your inspiration?

My Pastor: Tom Deuschle

Napstar has such a cool dress sense, where do you draw your fashion inspiration from?

Thank you for the complement. I have a stylist (Euston Mabika) who enjoys pushing bounderies but my wife does the final panel beating.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Steering the ship

How do you think being a Washington Mandela Fellow will impact your career?

Already it has started opening doors and I’m networking with other fellows from various African countries exchanging ideas and experiences. I am looking forward to receiving a mindset shift from my experience in the fellowship. I want to see the 1st world standard and tailor it for my country. With persistence and diligence history can be made after the fellowship.

What made you decide to get circumcised and help influence other members of the male specie to follow suit?

I got circumcised because I was about to get married and I thought it would be of great benefit to my wife. I just wanted to be cleaner for her and it came as a bonus when I found out that it helps prevent cervical cancer. I believe it was one of the best decisions I have ever made and have made it my business to encourage other men to follow suit. The other benefits are also glaring for example, it drastically reduces chances of contracting HIV and prevents cancer of the penis.

What do you look for in a life partner?

I found her already. What attracted me to her was her love for God, generosity and academic intelligence

How has being a father changed your perspective on art, life and immortality?

Being a father has opened my eyes to the need for heritage and legacy. I have to leave a heritage (tangible assets) for generations after me. My grandchildren’s children should eat of my sweat and live comfortably because of me. But more importantly I’ve realized the importance of leaving a strong legacy (values). I have to create and maintain a set of values so strong that even future generations that never saw me will abide by. Art takes a new meaning when you are a father. I’ve become more concerned about the motive behind expressions rather than the expressions themselves. A bit paranoid you could say but the integrity of my child’s psyche is of paramount importance to me.

What do you dislike about fame ?

Lack of privacy and pressure to be perfect

Any words of wisdom for the youth of Zimbabwe?

Our generation has been tainted by the shortcuts that characterized our Zimbabwean economy over the last 15 years of wheeling and dealing and chasing easy money. Sustainable prosperity comes from good old hard work. We have a task to stand on the shoulders of the generation of liberators and industrialize this country to first world status and this won’t come on a silver platter. Let’s put our hands to the plough and work!

How can your fans reach you?

Facebook: Napoleon Nyanhi (public figure)
Twitter: @napoleonnyanhi
Instagram: Napoleon Nyanhi
Youtube: Napoleon Nyanhi
Linked In: Napoleon Nyanhi