Freddie Gwala’s musical journey

Langalakhe Mabena
He has never won a single award in his lifetime.

That on its own has made his fans either in his home country South Africa or Zimbabwe frustrated and feel as if Freddie “Amadamara” Gwala is not recognised for his efforts and contribution in Southern African music.

“What is an award? Will it put food on my table? Those are materialistic things. I am not frustrated with not bagging one, as long as people love my music, I am satisfied,” said Freddie Gwala who successfully launched his latest album titled Iparole at The Mitre in Bulawayo.

Despite his slender  frame and light weight body, the name Freddie Gwala is gigantic in African music history.

Amadamara as he is affectionately known is an unsung hero despite being one force who broke grounds for the Black music market in South Africa and other African states, which were greatly dominated by

American and foreign pop music.

Growing up in Soweto under apartheid, Gwala is a typical pantsula guy raised in the dusty streets of eKasi, who embraced his background to the extent of popularising the Soweto lifestyle through lingo embedded in his music.

As easy as that may sound, it was a rough patch for Gwala to popularise his music to be what it is and be celebrated today.

“I grew up in Soweto and life during the apartheid era was not easy for a black man because you were not exposed to opportunities. I faced a lot of struggles in making this music thing work.

“When I discovered that I had passion for music, it became hard for us to penetrate the scene because a black man’s music was always censored,” said Gwala.

He said despite many production companies not accepting his style of music, he found solace when he met South African music icons Vusi Shange and Blondie Makhene, who accommodated him as a backing vocalist.

Under the wings of Makhene, Gwala would be heard rehearsing alone, a song which would later be titled

Dance Mzabalazo an instant hit which was written by Amadamara and put under Vusi Shange’s album in 1986.

Gwala would further write songs for Shange such as Stepmother and Tsotsi, songs which convinced Shange to give Gwala a chance to release his own music.

Gwala has always had a plan of laying and releasing his music to the masses.

Firstly, to penetrate the market, there was a need for Gwala to first do Gospel music which was popular among black people.

He would then join forces and form an ensemble with his Gwala brothers in the names of Patric, Gift, Jafta, Victor, Paulos, Emmanuel, Lord as well as Patric Mbuso and Mateus Moloi.

Because of Gwala’s love and appreciation of God in his life, he named the group Pure Gold which he said “we named it that way because God’s love is Pure like Gold.”

Under the Hit City Studio which was partly owned by Blonde Makhene, Pure Gold would release their debut album titled Amagama Amangcwele in 1987, a song which changed the Gwala family to the extent of affording to buy cars.

“Pure Gold’s first album was a hit. This was a ground breaking project which broke the local market and made South Africans believe that they could sing and appreciate their home grown talent because the song was all over on radio, ranks and taxis.

“As a family we even broke generational curses because we managed to buy ourselves cars with this project. We would later on go to perform overseas as Pure Gold with our first European tour being in 1989 as we performed in Germany as representatives from South Africa,” said Gwala.

Madamara is a man with an open heart. Despite sharing bread with his brothers, he also had something for his younger sisters too.

He recruited Nelisiwe Gwala, Nani Ntengo and Sonto Dladla and formed a group specifically for them and that saw the birth of Platform One, whose instant hits Isencane and Amavolovolo opened doors for them.

“In 1992 we launched Platform One. This is the first group that brought Afro Pop to Mzansi. A strike at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) popularised Platform One. It happened that as the strike started Isencane was playing on TV.

“So when they downed tools, that song played over and over without anyone controlling the station and that’s how it became famous as the song played for days on TV without being changed. The rest is history,” said Gwala.

With both Pure Gold and Platform One topping charts, Freddie was happy with the progress and that is when he decided to launch his solo career in 1997.

“After giving people these two groups, it was as if South Africa was not ready for me because when I launched Amadamara, people went crazy because I came with my own genre which resonated with many people eKasi.

“The Zumba music (some call it Amadamara) mainly speaks on issues surrounding jail because as we speak someone is entering jail, some are coming out from jail. Even those who are committing crime, one day the law will catch up with them and they will be sent to jail.

“I created the Zumba genre as a way of warning people to stop crime as life is tough in jail. Abanye bazenze ocleva (some think they are clever) they commit crime and think they will make it inside there, but I am sure many can testify that it’s hard inside there and that is the same message that I am preaching through my music,” said Gwala.

He said although many miss the lessons on his songs, he said he is happy that it has changed a lot of people’s lives who have come and testified to him.

Did you know that Gwala discovered the late African Queen of Pop Brenda Fassie and also mentored Gospel muso Big Fish Sipho Makhabane?

Gwala produced Makhabane’s first album Vuka Mphefumlo which sold 166 000 units before it was released.

“I met Brenda Fassie when she was young and I fell in love with her energy. I then facilitated that she does a collaboration with Pure Gold on the song Khonamanje which became a hit.

“After that some poached her away from me and she released Mamgobhozi which changed her life. I always saw my younger sister in her and I am happy that she loved me too.

“Before she died, when she was doing her last album titled Imali, she called me and I produced the song My Baby which is also a massive hit,” said Gwala.

Freddie Gwala was born in 1961.

He met the love of his life in 1980. Together they have three children, a boy and two girls.

Despite his music being associated with crime and alcoholism, Freddie Gwala said “I have never tasted alcohol in my life.”

Gwala who is set to tour the United Kingdom with Zahara as well as Jeys Marabini said he believes he is now getting the international gigs at his later stage in life because he contributed a lot to the growth of

African music. The gigs are a token of appreciating his talent.