Nutty O and Kinnah Turn Their Mbare Roots Into a Standout “Ma1” Visual

Zimbabwean music is once again showing the creative strength that can emerge when artists draw inspiration from where they come from. Nutty O and Kinnah have joined forces on “Ma1”, a track from Nutty O’s Different Root album that brings together two artists with strong Mbare roots. Their collaboration has now been given a visual treatment that adds another dimension to the song and its energy. The project is particularly interesting because the visual was also created by a Mbare director, keeping the creative connection within the community. The result is a collaboration that brings music, identity and visual storytelling together while giving fans another way to experience one of the album’s tracks.

“Ma1” brings Nutty O and Kinnah together in a pairing that highlights the diversity of Zimbabwe’s contemporary music scene. Both artists have established their own identities within the local industry, making their decision to work together an interesting meeting of styles and experiences. The collaboration forms part of Different Root, Nutty O’s latest album, which explores different sounds while maintaining a strong connection to his Zimbabwean musical foundation. Kinnah’s contribution gives the song another distinctive voice and adds to the album’s range of collaborations. Their shared Mbare background also gives the track a strong sense of place and makes the partnership particularly significant for listeners familiar with the community.

The visual adds an important layer to the collaboration because it brings the artists’ shared roots into focus. Mbare has a long association with Zimbabwe’s cultural and musical development, and artists from the community have continued to contribute to the country’s entertainment industry. Having a Mbare director behind the visual strengthens that connection and allows the project to be shaped by creative talent with an understanding of the environment and culture from which the artists come. It also demonstrates the importance of local creative networks in producing music videos and other forms of entertainment. Instead of relying solely on external creative teams, this project puts Mbare-connected talent at the centre of both the music and the visual presentation.

For Nutty O, “Ma1” forms part of a broader creative direction presented through Different Root. The album gives him room to explore different musical influences and collaborate with artists from various parts of the contemporary Zimbabwean music scene. His work with Kinnah adds a local dimension to a project that also reaches beyond Zimbabwe through its wider range of collaborations. This balance between local identity and broader musical ambition has become an important part of the album’s appeal. “Ma1” fits into that approach by giving audiences a collaboration that feels closely connected to Zimbabwe while allowing both artists to explore their chemistry.

Kinnah’s involvement also adds another layer to his continuing musical journey. Sharing a track with an artist of Nutty O’s profile provides an opportunity to reach listeners who may already be following Different Root while introducing the song to Kinnah’s existing audience. Collaborations can also help artists experiment with sounds and approaches that may differ from their usual material. In this case, the pairing allows both performers to bring their individual identities into a shared track. The visual then strengthens that partnership by giving audiences a clear representation of the energy and character behind the song.

The choice to create a full visual for “Ma1” reflects the growing importance of music videos in how audiences experience contemporary African music. A strong visual can give a song additional context while helping listeners connect with the personalities and environments surrounding the music. For a collaboration built around two artists from the same community, the visual can also reinforce the themes of identity and shared background. It creates an opportunity to present the artists in a way that extends beyond the audio recording. As audiences increasingly discover music through video platforms, these visuals can play an important role in how individual tracks stand out within a larger album.

Different Root also provides a wider context for understanding the collaboration. Nutty O has used the album to explore multiple sounds and bring together artists with different musical backgrounds. The project includes 15 tracks and features several notable Zimbabwean and international collaborators, giving it a broad musical scope. Within that larger collection, “Ma1” stands out because of the strong connection between the artists and their shared Mbare heritage. That local element gives the song a different character and adds another example of how Zimbabwean artists can use collaboration to celebrate their roots while pursuing new creative directions.

The involvement of a Mbare director is equally important because the music industry depends on more than singers and producers. Directors, photographers, videographers, designers and other creatives play a major role in shaping how music reaches an audience. When these roles are filled by people from the same communities as the artists, the resulting work can carry a stronger sense of familiarity and cultural understanding. The “Ma1” visual demonstrates how music collaborations can create opportunities across different areas of the creative industry. It also provides an example of how local talent can work together to produce content capable of reaching audiences well beyond their immediate community.

For fans of Nutty O and Kinnah, the video provides an opportunity to see the chemistry behind their collaboration in a new format. The song already brings their musical identities together, while the visual adds movement, performance and imagery to the listening experience. The Mbare connection gives the project another point of interest, particularly for audiences who understand the cultural significance of the community. It also reinforces the idea that artists can remain connected to their origins even as their careers expand into wider markets. The collaboration therefore works on two levels, as a new musical release and as a celebration of shared creative roots.

Nutty O’s latest project continues to show how Zimbabwean artists can combine local identity with broader musical ambitions. Different Root provides the platform, “Ma1” brings Nutty O and Kinnah together and the music video gives the collaboration a visual identity shaped by another Mbare creative. That combination creates a project that feels connected to its origins while remaining accessible to audiences outside the community. It also highlights the value of collaboration between artists and creatives who share cultural and geographical backgrounds. As the Different Root campaign continues, “Ma1” has the potential to become one of the tracks that listeners remember for its combination of music, personality and local identity.

The collaboration between Nutty O and Kinnah ultimately shows what can happen when artists embrace their roots while continuing to explore new creative possibilities. “Ma1” brings together two Mbare-bred musicians and extends their partnership into a visual project directed by another creative from the same community. That shared background gives the release an identity that goes beyond the song itself, while its place on Different Root connects it to Nutty O’s wider artistic journey. The video adds energy and visual storytelling to the collaboration and gives audiences a fresh way to experience the track. For those ready to see how these two artists have translated their shared Mbare connection into a visual experience, the “Ma1” video is now available to watch.

Watch the video here: Nutty O ft Kinnah, “Ma1” Official Video