Gospel musician Fungisai Zvakavapano Mashavave says she is being cloned — her songs, dance, dress code and mannerisms copied note-for-note and sold for profit without her consent.
In an emotional post on Facebook, the award-winning singer said she has remained silent for too long in the name of peace and Ubuntu.
Her outburst comes amid a growing trend in which cover bands reviving old hits are enjoying huge commercial success. Groups such as Intotal Band have become crowd-pullers by playing yesteryear classics, landing major corporate gigs and, in some cases, earning more than the original artistes — a development that has left many original musicians fuming.
Fungisai said what she is experiencing goes beyond a cover version.
“Kunyarara hedu kuitira kuchengetedza runyararo & Ubuntu/hunhu… Imagine? People impersonating you, replicating your music as is and gathering commercial value from your works without your consent? Not even a ‘cover’ but note for note, word for word, every move & artistic mannerism,” she wrote.
She claimed that impersonators are copying everything, including how she dresses and dances, and are then being hired by corporates at a fraction of her fee.
“Ko kutozopfeka, kutamba nekuita everything kunge inini & a whole dignified bank engages them for cheap labour in comparison to mine & in violation of my moral copyright? Ko kuzokuita kunge hausi chinhu when you try to engage them diplomatically? No mhan!” she said.
Fungisai said many artistes remain quiet for fear of being victimised, but she has decided to speak out.
“Tinonyarara nekutya being targeted for victimisation, but it doesn’t make it right! Nhasi I choose kumirira chokwadi. Why replace me at a nominal fee and create unfair market competition for me uchishandisa personality yangu, music yangu, ma mannerism angu, necreativity yangu and not even bother asking for my permission?” she said.
She argued that the law must protect musicians the same way it protects other professions, saying artistes are easily “mobbed down and robbed of our right to our own legacies.”
To illustrate her point, she drew a comparison with the banking sector.
“Imagine if I were to wake up one day ndongogadzira a bank with the same brand name, colours, uniforms and services as tribute to an already existing bank then ndototanga kuserver macustomers ndichitora maprofits in the name of honouring that bank? Handiti ndinoswera ndasungwa?” she said.
“You may go ahead and mob me, but hakuna honour yakadaro where you take what’s mine and profit from it without my consent. Not even an ounce of respect to engage me pakushandiswa kwemaworks angu?”
Fungisai questioned whether there is no legal recourse because she is a Christian, and challenged lawmakers and enforcers to act.
“Can we really say there is no legal recourse for this blatant violation of my rights simply because I am Christian? Patoshaya mutemo unochengetedza kodzero dzangu here or mutemo uripo hausi kushandiswa nemazvo? Is the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act [Chapter 26:05], Competition Act [Chapter 14:28] and The Tort of Passing Off [Common Law] failing us, or are those meant to enforce it looking the other way?”
She added: “Uuum, law makers, enforcers, churchPersons, haters & friends, pfekaiwo bhutsu dzangu and be fair on this matter. I rest my case.”
Fungisai did not name the bank or the impersonating group in her post, but said attempts to engage the parties diplomatically had been ignored.
