Moses Musenwa, who goes by the stage name of Vho-Musenwa in the music fraternity, is one of the finest local artists who are keeping traditional music alive. For Vho-Musenwa, music is not just a hobby but an occupation that generates income to support his family.
Born in Ravele village in the Sinthumule area, he grew up herding cattle in the village. While in the fields, he would keep his ears tuned to the different sounds that nature produced around him, and that was when he developed focussed listening skills.
“I had all along dreamed of becoming a great musician, and I knew that this dream would one day become a reality,” he said.
His desire to develop his music talent became a reality when he was granted an opportunity to join the local church choir in 1992. He managed to hone his singing skills to the extent that he came to work on and release eight robust albums through the decades.
He earned popularity with his stand-out full-length albums, Hu Na Maanda Kha Malofha A Yesu and Vhabebi Funani Vhana.
In 2017, he was nominated for the South African Traditional Music Awards (SATMA) and Tshivenda Music Awards (Tshima) for Best Tshivenda Album.
In 2017, Musenwa secured a record deal with Biyeko Music Company and worked with BonginkosiYeko, better known as DJ Mzola. In 2018, Musenwa recorded a Tshivenda traditional album. The album had put Musenwa on the map as he shared the stage with some of the best musicians in Africa.
Musenwa is an artist whose talent, coupled with hard work, is yet to open more doors for him. “I am continuing to speak words of wisdom and life through my music,” he said. “So, just watch this space!”