Sam Mtukudzi is the son of legendary Zimbabwean singer, Oliver Mtukudzi. After finishing High School, Sam has joined his father on several foreign tours playing the saxophone. In Harare, he has his own band called Ay Band with whom he recorded his debut album, Rume Rimwe in 2008. This is The Truth About Sam Mtukudzi:
Born: April 1, 1988
 

Hometown: Harare
 

Marital Status: It’s Complicated
 
If you were not a musician, what would you be?

I would certainly be in the music industry, possibly as a manager or engineer. Certainly something to do with music!

What was the last book you read?

I guess it was Macbeth, and that was back in High School. It’s not that I hate books; I am just not a big fan.
If you had the power to change anything, what would you do?

I would probably do something about changing the mentality of the average African … the mentality that’s around in Africa. There is more speaking than there is implementing. So we end up underestimating the power we have as Africans to develop ourselves ... to stand out. Maybe I should not limit this to Africans, but people in general. People live in a world of wishing.

What was the craziest rumour you heard about yourself?

It should be about two years ago, some rumours spread that I had a wife and a kid in Norton. That was really crazy. It was like a big rumour, I heard a bit about it and just dismissed it until my mother asked me! She wanted to know where her daughter-in-law was hiding. Pure crazy.

What do you think is the best song ever recorded?

I listen to everything and in every style I have got something that I like. I am a very particular person in being general. But if I am to look at the whole package, I would probably go for Jamming by Bob Marley. He is a legend. I have listened to quite a lot of his stuff; actually we use some of his music to rehearse with my band.

What do you look forward to in a week?

I look forward to doing a show. Showtime is my favourite time. My band and I, it’s not just like going to work. We are more like a family and enjoy going on tour together. It’s more or less the same when I am with the Black Spirits, in fact all the bands that are in Tuku Music. Generally we are not just workmates; we are more of a family. When you sit there and it’s a Monday, knowing you are not doing anything until Friday, you are lonely.

    

How different is your band from Oliver Mtukudzi’s Black Spirits band?

No-one in my band is in the Black Spirits apart from me. The Black Spirits is an acoustic group with a lot of emphasis on marimba, mbira and so on, whereas my band uses electric guitars. I am the only one who plays acoustic in my band. It’s quite different.

Who would you like to meet?

Youssou N'Dour, he is a legendary African artist. He has inspired quite a lot of my music; he is one of my sources of inspiration. His music is great.
Do you think musicians have any business singing about politics?

Not at all. Musicians have no business singing about politics. Once you start doing a lot about politics, it’s like having a chef in a race car. Politicians are people that work with the mind a lot, and musicians are supposed to be there to relax the mind. It’s definitely on different grounds. But you can’t ignore what happens around you socially.

How does your mum deal with having stars in her house?

That’s a hard one. The best person to really answer that would be my mum. But I imagine it’s tricky, like when me and my dad are on tour sometimes for a couple of months before we go home.

Tell us about your family?

Sandra is the oldest. At the moment she is running Tuku Music and helping out at the office. Then there is Samantha. She works a bit in the office on the South African side. She is married to Tinashe Nengomasha, who plays for Kaizer Chiefs and the Warriors. Then comes Selma, she is a full time musician. I am the last born. Sandra is a dancer, Samantha has done a couple of songs with dad and she was actually my inspiration to start singing.

Do you have a girlfriend?

Not really. I am in a situation whereby having a girlfriend is a bit tricky not least because I am hardly at home. It’s like torture you know. The last time I had a girlfriend the relationship didn’t even end, I just disappeared. I haven’t spoken to her in a while, maybe a year and half. It’s really not there.

I am focused on one thing at a time; I can’t be successful in anything if I am not focused. If I want something in my career, I will focus on it. If I want anything relationship wise, I will focus on it so that I continue without any distraction. (Interview by Mduduzi Mathuthu)