Classique Q&A Magazine by RM Publishers

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Determination

Does Not Have An Off Season

“I just want to drink champagne and be happy!”

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CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

Hey Classiques! So, 2018 has been interesting!

CONTENTS O6 O8 14 16 18 20 24 28

Press and Advertising: classiqueqandamagazine@gmail.com

www.classiqueqanda.com

Inspiration through African Fashion Ankara By Ane

Preserving Culture through Jewellery Naledi Habe

How to Stay in Shape and Keep Fit Kingsley Bassey

Uy’bambe Vibes - Moving to the Beat Hard West Music

What’s it like Being Gearbox? We find out. Joab Magara

Luxury Meets Style

New Album Launch - First Love

And Congratulations to all the ‘Class of 2018’ Graduates. We did it!!!

DETERMINATION ISSUE CREDITS Founder: Sakhile Classique Khanye Publisher: Rudo Muchoko - RMPublishers LTD info@rm-pa.org

Jane Doka

Celebratiing Determination

Associate Editor: Rhoda Molife - Molah Media molahmedia@gmail.com Guest Editor: Pao Mbewe - My Business Essentials Ltd pao.mbewe@gmail.com

Midland’s #1 BBQ Hangout Spot

Photography: Classique Features Dreams by Revolution Craig Zoowie - Elton Maregedze optimass_art Kingsley Bassey - Eddie Brendah ZIWA - tichpfupsphotography

ZIWA Awards

Building Wealth through Real Estate

I am super excited to feature the likes of Craig Zoowie, who is one of the most hardworking people I have ever come across and takes pride in his work. This issue is steaming with people who strive for greatness and are determined to reach their goals. Grab your snacks and gather the kids, it’s determination time honey!

Craig Zoowie

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I graduated!!!! Despite the ups and downs, it has been all worth it in the end. But hey... I am not the only one. Our very own publisher, Miss Rudo graduated too, so we thought why not bring you a superhot issue buzzing with DETERMINATION that is going to leave you all inspired?!

Advert Graphics - Tawanda Mhlanga

TTMbha

The Grill Yard

Inspiration Through Determination Rudo Muchoko

Star of the Issue Lance Guma

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CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

Tell us about yourself...

Which has been your favourite design so far?

My name is Anesu Madamombe and I’m 23 years old. I am proudly Zimbabwean and a Shona speaker! I spent most of my early childhood in Zimbabwe before coming to England when I was 9 years old. Right now, I live in Bristol and I work full time in operations for an energy company.

That’s tough! I feel like I’d be picking a favourite child! I love every one of my designs equally because they each have their own identity. Every design is individually named in the mother tongue (Shona) and they each have a meaning that brings out the story behind them. One of my most recent designs that really excites me is the MAMOYO top from my ‘All Summer 18 Long Collection’ - it means ‘princess’ because it’s full of drama and sass.

What inspired you to get into fashion design?

“I am inspired by the vibrancy of Ankara print and how versatile it is”

I’ve always been creative at heart. As a child I loved drawing and painting. My interest in designing clothes started when I wanted to wear something unique for my prom when I was 18. I designed my African print prom dress and I had a tailor sew it exactly how I wanted (I hadn’t learned how to sew then), and then I handmade the accessories to go with it.

You focus on just Ankara print designs. What’s the inspiration behind the designs? I aspire to celebrate and bring more awareness to the uniqueness of Zimbabwean culture and I am inspired by the vibrancy of Ankara print and how versatile it is. I believe that as Africans we shouldn’t be restricted to wearing Ankara only at specific events where the dress code is an African attire. I challenge myself to use this material to create designs that are modern and can be worn with pride for our culture.

Have you ever created something for a client that they didn’t like? How do you bounce back from criticism? I started learning to sew about 5 years ago. Being selftaught, I made some mistakes on a few occasions such as an item being either too big or too small. I’m grateful for my clients who were patient with me; whenever they returned for a fitting, I would amend the design until it was perfect. If I got something wrong, I would rework it and that improved my skill at the same time. Some of my best designs started off as mistakes! That alone has always helped me to bounce back and not feel too frustrated when mistakes happen.

What has been the best compliment you have received so far?

Who do you look up to? The most incredible human being in my life - my mother. She is the most amazing, tenacious, and phenomenal woman in my eyes. Her words of wisdom strengthen me, her prayers sustain me, her constant encouragement motivates me to continue pushing through - especially when I am exhausted or overwhelmed and I risk losing focus. When you’re investing a lot of time, effort and resource in managing a business and a full-time job, things can get a little crazy!

If you were to design a piece of clothing for a celebrity who would it be and why? I would be honoured to design and make something for any of the following people: These aren’t just celebrated because they are well known but because they’re talented women who use their platforms for a purpose (and things that just make sense in general) - Danai Gurira, Yara Shahidi, Lupita Nyongo, Beyoncé, Issa Rae… the list goes on!

What’s next for ANKARA BY ANE? I launched my website in August where people can purchase my latest collection: www.ankarabyane.com (we do ship internationally! I also have a couple of exciting things lined up so far - for the rest of the year and 2019! I don’t want to spoil the surprise, so be sure to keep an eye out on our website and follow us on Instagram: @ankaraby_ane!

Each time a client drops me a text or sends a message acknowledging the perfection of one of my designs that I sent... and how in love they’ve fallen with it! It’s one of the best feelings and it just makes me grin from ear to ear. One of the coolest compliments was back in January this year when I woke up to a text message from Ammara Brown. Ammara got my number from her manager and the text read: “Saw your designs and they are beautiful!”

Where do you see yourself going with your brand? Sometimes when I think about the plans I have for ANKARA BY ANE, I get excited and a little nervous at the same time. But when I remember the quote that says “if your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough” - all is calm! My aim is to continue building my brand with the same passion and determination which I started with and to never forget its core purpose. 6

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aledi is a young lady who’s passionate about her culture and heritage. With very little funding, this young entrepreneur’s determination to share the love for her culture through fashion saw her launch her own accessories range. We caught up with Naledi Habe to hear more about her business.

making it happen and seeing it come alive. The quote ‘If you can see it in your mind, you can hold it in your hand’ by Will Smith really motivates me. So, I literally worked hard to see it come to pass.

Tell us about yourself?

I create fashion accessories because I hadn’t yet seen a fashion line which considered consumers like me. I like to save my African attire for special occasions (as I’m sure most people do) but for everyday occasions I feel I want to represent in a unique way without having to wear a flag, for example. So, I’ve created a brand that doesn’t cry for attention but still makes a statement.

I am Naledi Habe, the 19-year-old founder of Tokwani’s Treasure. I come from a small village called Tokwana in Bulilimamagwe, Zimbabwe. I now live in London, UK.

What inspired you to start your own business? I was inspired by my passion for the process - the process being ‘the creative side of things’ - having an idea,

by Andile Hadebe

.....A CELEBRATION OF ORIGIN” .....WE WILL FIT”

What does your business focus on?

How did you come up with the name Tokwani Treasures? Funny enough, my business didn’t have a name until a few days before the first item of the collection was released. We had the merchandise, we had the packaging, everything was ready, but we didn’t have a name. My best friend and I sat down in McDonald’s one day and we didn’t leave until we had a name. The name Tokwani derives from the name of my village Tokwana which is TjiKalanga/ Kalanga meaning ‘we will fit’ or ‘don’t worry we will fit’.

What is the inspiration behind your brand? My inspiration is my great-grandmother Kudziyila, who never wanted our history to be forgotten. She was a fighter against injustice. She fought for kids and taught us the importance of being part of a community. She fought against colonisation and the brainwashing of our history. I’m told that in her earlier years she fought for people’s rights even before people knew they had rights. I just think that’s really amazing, and this is why I’m determined to showcase my culture through fashion.

Starting a business and building a brand can be a difficult and stressful process. How did you manage to pull through?

“THE NAME TOKWANI DERIVES FROM THE NAME OF MY VILLAGE TOKWANA WHICH IS TJIKALANGA/ KALANGA MEANING ‘WE WILL FIT’ OR ‘DON’T WORRY WE WILL FIT”

Starting this business was only by the grace of God. Nobody knew I was doing it and those who did, never really supported me - it was not a walk in the park. The only thing that kept me going was my determination to see the finished product and the fact that this was something I was passionate about. My first collection - The Mthwakazi Collection represents part of my history, which means part of finding out who I really am, and where I come from. CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

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What other challenges did you face when you started and how also included the Kalanga and the Sotho, the Venda, the Nyamba did you overcome them? Other than the lack of support, other challenges were the lack of belief in myself. At some point my emotions were based on the people in my past – their opinion of who I was. This really affected how I saw myself when my business started. I overcame this by realising that who I am depends on myself and no one else. Other people’s opinions come in left, right and centre... but the only opinion that matters is God’s... and of course mine.

How did you fund your start up? The funding side of things was difficult. I had a part-time job which wasn’t paying a lot, so I had to practice patience. I would get paid every fortnight and save some money to pay for the merchandise. I would have to pay for unexpected bills and other things like customs tax which I wasn’t aware of, so I was really tested to walk by faith and not by sight. I can safely say funding this project by myself was the most challenging thing I have ever done. However, because I was determined to see my vision through that made it easier for me to soldier on.

You sell ‘Mthwakazi Merchandise’. One might confuse it for a political movement. What do you have to say about that? Tokwani’s Treasure is not founded on political principles. The word Mthwakazi comes from the discovery that my surname has a Ndebele start and a Kalanga finish. Most Kalanga people, for example, will have a Ndebele last name like Moyo and then the stem will be Kalanga for example Moyo Ndukwana. So, as I was wondering why this could be, I came across the story of King Mzilikazi’s kingdom of Mthwakazi. The kingdom was not only made up of the Ndebele tribe that he had come with from South Africa, but

and the Nyanja. Mthwakazi stuck with me, so I took it and created my own meaning with the message of inclusion, because, to me, King Mzilikazi didn’t just want Ndebeles in his kingdom, he included all kinds of people and tribes. So today and especially in 2018, we are taking this word to mean more than just Matabeleland and Midlands. To us it means inclusion.

How’s the business doing so far? So far so good. There are a lot of opportunities that have come up which I had only dreamt of and I believe will definitely come to light soon.

Do you have any plans for expansion? Yes, we do. We hope to be speaking at events on how we can improve lives in our villages. At the moment, TK’s Treasure is helping to collect primary school books for a school to be built in Tokwana - so we are really excited about that!

How are you marketing Tokwani’s Treasure? I’ve used people who are in the Zimbabwean eye like musicians, who understand that we are not trying to insinuate a separation of Zimbabwe but celebrate where we come from.

Any advice for other young people who want to start a business but are hesitant due to financial constraints? My advice to young people would be to just do it! I was always saying I’ll do it after this, I’ll do it after that, but I had to sit down and realise that I’m not getting any younger. I needed to be doing something that I enjoyed for the rest of my life. The one piece of advice I got which helped me was that ‘you don’t really need to know anything about business.’ I would add on but read everything that comes your way about company

formation (eg LTD or LLP.) Read! Read! Read!

What are some of the pros and cons of going into business? Pros would be that you learn the ropes and the attitude it really takes to own a business. And people usually want to teach you, which means more knowledge and wisdom and wiser decisions!! The cons of starting a businesss, especially at my age are people not taking you seriously. Being 19, with no previous experience of running a business meant it was easy for people to disregard my efforts and not see my vision. There may be others who tell you to give up and try something else; but if you really want it you keep going. If you remain humble, you’ll reach what you define as success.

“I CREATED MY OWN MEANING WITH THE MESSAGE OF INCLUSION, BECAUSE, TO ME, KING MZILIKAZI DIDN’T JUST WANT NDEBELES IN HIS KINGDOM, HE INCLUDED ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE AND TRIBES.”

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KINGSLEY BASSEY

ingsley Bassey does not only motivate people but also encourages and helps them to be hopeful and determined to achieve their desired result. When he started his journey to weight loss, he didn’t realise that people would come to see him as someone who was determined to reach their goal. Let’s join in on Bassey’s weight loss journey.

Who is Kingsley Bassey? Who I am as an individual does not matter as much as what I represent. I am a Christian first, so I stand for God, family and love.

What challenges did you face with your weight? I was never sick, but if I continued the way I was going, sickness was definitely going to come somewhere down the line. I am about 6 ft 5, and I weighed close to 200 kilograms - so that kind of paints a picture of how big and intimidating I was.

What is the motivation behind your weight loss? I was uncomfortable with the way I looked, and I wanted change. I was also concerned about potential health issues associated with being obese.

Did you face any obstacles during your weight loss journey? As with anything in life, when you are delving into unfamiliar territory, you’ll face challenges, but with discipline and consistency you will overcome them all. It was a learning curve for me, but my mind was made up and I was ready to do all that I needed to do. Every challenge was an opportunity for me to learn and improve myself.

Did you have to change your diet? Yes, I had to. Learning about nutrition was quite challenging because there is so much information online today, most of which are fads. With time and experimentation, I just learnt what worked & what didn’t. But you have to be willing to put in the time or hire a coach so you don’t have to go through everything alone like I did.

“IF YOU WANT LONG LASTING RESULTS THAT YOU CAN MAINTAIN, ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE AN ENDOMORPH LIKE ME, BE PATIENT. IT MIGHT TAKE TIME, BUT IT WILL BE WORTH IT.” How often did you go to the gym? On average 6 times a week, but sometimes every single day. The gym became a place for me to unload and relax. As a matter of fact, sometimes I would go to the gym at 2am when I couldn’t sleep. The great thing was that my gym was open 24 hours and was just about 5 minutes’ walk from my house. Some people even said I was addicted.

How long did it take you to reach your goal? After about 3 months, I started to see results and I also got compliments from people. But it took about 6 to 9 months for major changes to take effect and I haven’t slowed down ever since. At every level, I

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set new goals and smash them.

What was your motivation through it all? Motivation will always go away. What I tell people instead is to make up their minds to be disciplined and consistent even in the absence of motivation. Understand why you are doing what you are doing and have a picture of your goals in mind. That will inspire you every time and keep you disciplined.

Would you become a fitness trainer?

What would you say to Kingsley before the weight loss? To be honest, I wish I had started my fitness journey earlier because it has changed my life. So, I would have told him to start getting fit there and then, but everything happens at an appointed time.

What words of encouragement can you give people who go to the gym and expect instant results? If you want long lasting results that you can maintain, especially if you’re an endomorph like me, be patient. It might take time, but it will be worth it. My whole life has changed.

That is not something I am currently doing professionally, but I do have a website going up in a few weeks which will have e-books on nutrition and exercise plans to help people. I will also offer online coaching based on my regime.

Have you considered doing a vlog? I have a YouTube channel where I do put up some content to help people, including vlogs, so please go search for King BAS on YouTube and subscribe.

What do you do apart from going to the gym? In my leisure time, apart from training, I play basketball. I also like to eat and watch something interesting. I know it’s long gone now but I’m the biggest fan of a TV show called 24, as well as some Netflix shows.

Are you careful and selective about what you eat now and why? I maintain a fairly healthy diet now because I enjoy doing it, but it’s all about moderation. Find what works for you.

What’s a day like for you if you do not go to the gym? That day would probably be a Sunday. If I don’t go to the gym I’d be at church, but sometimes I even go on Sundays.

What kind of music do you listen to when you are training? I enjoy a lot of rap and jazz music. I listen to the likes of Andy Mineo, Lecrae, Brian Culbertson, George Duke, etc. I also listen to Afro beats. During cardio however, I watch YouTube videos or binge watch shows on Netflix.

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How do you describe the hit single Uy’bambe? The meaning of uy’bambe can only be described through dance. The beat itself causes one to get their feet moving in different ways. What’s next for Hard West Music? Watch out for the Hard West Music artists. We are ready to blow England away and take our music all over the world as we progress.

HARD WEST MUSIC

group of artists from Hard West Music going by the names of Quinton, Nkunzi, Sniper, Tee, Thobylee and Dreamer collaborated on the hit song ‘Uyibambe’ which has got the country going crazy! The group has brought Gqom music to England and their beat leaves us all doing the gwaragwara dance. ‘Uyibambe’ has become one of the anthems at Eyadini and what’s a party without that song. We caught up with Hard West Music to find out more. Are you guys a group? We are not a group exactly but artists who are signed under the same record label called Hard West Music. What’s the story behind your hit song ‘Uyibambe’? The collaboration has a funny story behind it because the song was started by Thobylee. When he pulled out the beat everyone who heard it went crazy and connected with it in their own way. However, it wasn’t until Tee-Tee pulled up with the chorus uy’bambe that we realised we had a hit on our hands. Who is the mastermind behind the song? Everybody had their input in the song. We all brought in different elements to the song to make it sound catchy and get people singing along and dancing to it.

HARD WEST MUSIC Who made the beat? The beat is by Thobylee. He has so much passion when it comes to making beats. There is such soul in his music and power that draws you in. What does Nkunzi emnyama mean and how did that become your stage name? iNkunzi emnyama is a ‘black bull’. However, Nkunz’emnyama is a Ndebele word which is mainly used in reference to a king; for example Shaka Zulu, Mzilikazi, Lobengula etc. We call ourselves Nkunz’emnyama as we possess the characteristics of a black bull. Sniper, how did you come up with your verse? I liked what Thobylee had done with the beat. I just thought I couldn’t waste such a vibe, so I had to come up with a verse that most people would relate to. Quinton, what flow did you bring to the song? I thought since it’s a gqom track I should add a different element to it that would bring the song a little calm, then pick the beat up again and it definitely worked out well. CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

JOAB ‘GEARBOX’ MAGARA Who is Joab Magara?

Does your own personality relate to Gearbox?

Joab is a fun-loving, God-fearing young man who likes to make people laugh.

Definitely! Especially my first 5 years in England. Gearbox is oblivious to a lot of British culture and he gets pushed around a bit. That used to be me when I first came to England, until I learnt how to graft and not take nonsense.

How did the name Gearbox come about? My friends and I would meet up and talk about what we wanted out of life, careers, etc, and during those meetings we would have a laugh calling each other funny Zimbabwean names. One of them called me Gearbox Mawere and so I just ran with it.

Why did you choose the two names Gearbox and Clutch?

Are your skits based on your own personal life experiences?

What would you choose: music or comedy?

Both of them. I alternate between them because their experiences are similar.

What inspires your videos?

Have you done any comedy features? I’ve done a few features with other comedians in my circles. I also did some work as an extra with ‘Skins’ a long time ago, and a commercial recently for UK Cinema.

Which of your sisters relate to Clutch?

Famously known as a comedian/actor, his storytelling relates to everyday life.

Joab is very shy, believe it or not. Gearbox is much more open and talkative. I really enjoy my own space and the little things about life which are not materialistic at all. I think Gearbox focuses a lot on how people perceive him, whereas I just don’t care.

In most manual cars, you can’t use a gearbox without a clutch, so since the two depend on each other it just made sense to me to use those names.

Most are real-life experiences which I tweak to make them a bit more interesting.

oab Magara aka Gearbox is one of the most talented people we’ve had the pleasure to interview.

How does Joab differ from Gearbox?

Making people smile and making a difference in people’s lives. It may not mean much to other people, but it does to me. It’s genuinely my ministry as much as it is for fun.

How do your parents react to your videos?

Story-telling.

You also play musical instruments. Which ones do you play? I play drums, guitar and a bit of keyboard.

Do you ever get booked and promoters delay paying you? I make sure that I’m covered from day one with a contract. If they’re honest and straight-up with me then things don’t need to go wrong.

Can you sing? I have tried for so long but it’s not for everyone. I believe it’s not my calling.

They are always shaking their heads laughing, but they are very supportive because they understand where I want to go.

What should we expect from Gearbox before the end of the year?

conferences.

How do you deal with your followers asking you to switch from Joab to Gearbox or Clutch?

You should expect nothing but hope for the best. I’m excited about pending projects as I really want to raise the bar for myself and go all out. We’ll just have to see how it goes.

Though multi-talented, Joab remains a humble and approachable person who is not changed by fame.

It happens naturally so they don’t really have to ask. It is really flattering the way they engage with the characters so much.

Apart from comedy, he is the most talented lead guitarist in the UK who is fully booked for gigs and

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CRAIG

ZOOWIE

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I NOW STYLE EVENTS BUT

SOME PRETTY LUXURIOUS EVENTS TOO, HENCE THE NEW NICKNAME “MR LUXURY” BIRTHING A WHOLE LUXURY EVENT DESIGNER WHO IS CRAIG ZOOWIE.

hat is Classique Q&A Magazine without a touch of glam ‘darling’, as Craig Zoowie would say! If you’re having an event and you

want it to be the talk of town, this is your ‘go-to’ guy. He is not only a stylist, but also a luxury event designer who happens to work alongside Kevin Wedding Planner and Lungi from VIP hosting. We caught up with Zoowie, who is dazzling on our cover with a touch of glam, darling!

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Who is Craig Zoowie?

How do you plan your outfit for the day?

I am a Luxury Event Designer, Stylist and Grooming Consultant.

My ‘ensemble’ as I like to call it, is selected after I check my diary and know whether my meetings will be in a boardroom or at a coffee shop; or if I have to go on a site visit that might require sneakers or boots. I have had a meeting that led to some horse riding... yes, I was prepared. Putting together the right ensemble is crucial for me as I have seen some unsightly get-ups in boardrooms, as if one was caught unawares. I even saw shorts and flip-flops after 6pm at some fancy establishments. But that’s styling session 101 for another interview!

What does determination mean to you? Being focused and fuelled by persistence and happiness.

How did you become an event designer? It was purely through the love of ‘things’ (ukuthand’izinto)! In high school I would be invited to events and be bored out of my mind because I could see all the cracks in the planning, decor etc. So, I stopped attending anything where I was not a part of the planning committee. I remember planning one of my closest friends - Tebogo’s birthday parties EVERY YEAR and we would leave her house at 7am the next day... After high school I then got into hospitality where I found myself in the banqueting department and was mentored by Tinashe, who now runs one of the biggest hotels in Dubai. This was definitely my lane, but I still had very little creative control on an event’s aesthetics. I then enrolled on a full time events management course and after a couple of years I teamed up with Lungile. That was when luxury began. We would put together some ‘okay-ish’ events due to limited clients’ budget, but it never stopped us from growing. Then we roped in Kevin with his amazing work in wedding planning. During this growth period, our art just got better and now I style some pretty luxurious events with the nickname ‘Mr Luxury’.

Where do you draw your inspiration from? Literally from anything and everyone. All the experiences I go through bring in new inspiration, whether it’s a magazine I’ve read, a food experience, a relationship, etc.

What keeps you motivated? Knowing that I still haven’t reached my utmost best. What are the essentials of being an event designer? You need to have an eye for detail, be open to new experiences, Ukuthand’ izinto and be bothered by mediocrity.

Describe a day without work? What you are calling ‘work’ is my career, my entire lifestyle. Generally, my day starts with at least a chapter of any book I have at the time. I am trying to get rid of reaching for my phone as soon as I get up. Less of social media for me these days. Then this is my routine: I make a good cup of coffee with some music in the background (Damien Escobar usually). Then I’ll probably have brunch with Karen which normally ends up as an inspirational session as we catch up. I might then have a manicure/pedicure/facial over a glass of champagne, as my phone rings and someone is asking for a consultation for their next event or simply to hire something. Next up, I may work on a concept for the next event with Lue & Kevin. When I’m back home, I make dinner, eat with Netflix (The Royals - I’m obsessed) and drink wine, then I’m in bed by 9pm!

As a stylist, who would be your dream client? A young Zimbabwean executive who admits they need help with their look.

Name 5 people you can’t go a day without talking to? Family, Lungile+Kevin+Ndumiso, Tkay, Karen and Tamanda.

Who would you choose: Bonang or David Tlale? It definitely has to be Bonang, darling! I have watched her brand very closely for a long time and I admire her ethic, confidence and growth.

Choose one word that your VIP Hosting family would use to describe you? Crazy, darling!

What should we expect from Craig Zoowie before the year ends? Expect me to be an INTERNATIONAL LUXURY EVENT DESIGNER; and find me on the FRONT ROW at International Fashion Week!

“DURING THIS GROWTH PERIOD, OUR ART JUST GOT BETTER AND NOW I STYLE SOME PRETTY LUXURIOUS EVENTS WITH THE NICKNAME ‘MR LUXURY’ CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

JANE DOKA

his summer we were privileged to

Who is Jane Doka? How do you describe yourself in two words?

witness so much talent through the

Jane Doka is a singer-songwriter and minister.

launch of Jane Doka’s new album,

What does the First Love album mean to you?

First Love. The album makes you feel closer to God and think back to the Love He has and how immeasurable it is. We caught up with Jane to find out more about her music journey.

First Love to me means restoration. It means being restored to my intimacy with God and going back to where I started; in the love of God and the love for music.

What was the inspiration behind releasing the album after so long? I was going through a major change over the years - and the biggest change was my very own heart and will. It took quite a while. In the meantime, life was happening. I gave birth to my daughter, got into church ministry and went to university all in that same period. When the dust had settled it was now due season - hence First Love was released.

How do you balance being both a pastor and music minister? On this one I raise my hands and say it’s all by God’s grace! Music is my first passion and it is a part of everything I do. I carry it with me in all my roles, so no matter what I become I will always be a music minister. In church ministry, I work with my senior pastors and the church leadership who all embrace my call to be a music minister to the world. There is no conflict in things done for the Lord, it’s about the timing and place.

Did you write all your songs on your current album? Yes. I wrote and composed all my songs as has always been the case.

On this album it seems you didn’t feature anyone. Is there any reason for that? The long and short of it is that, the First Love album was between God and I. I did think about incorporating features at some

point, but after prayerfully considering the message I was putting across at that point, I didn’t feel within me that now was the time to feature anyone else. It had to stay at that God and I.

What’s your favourite song on the album? I love every song on First Love to bits! Every one of them is my personal favourite. This is mostly because I did not just sing and record songs only because I thought they were good, rather that I literally experienced each and every song on First Love at a very deep personal level.

What’s the inspiration behind First Love? Here’s a summary: First Love is about going back to where I began, in the love of God and the love for music. After a series of disappointments in life and in music, I finally got to a point where I just stopped and turned to God asking Him why music now felt more like a burden than a pleasure. And God, in His faithfulness pointed out and showed me how I had slowly drifted from my first love and let everyone else’s opinions matter more to me than God’s. Once we do CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

what we do because we want to impress others and we insist on our own way leaving God out of it... there is no joy or sense of fulfilment in it and failure is a big possibility. Anything started in God must abide in God, so First Love is precisely about that. It’s about acknowledging God and allowing Him to be our all, being stripped of self, of fear, of the pride of life and of all limits imposed by others to be restored to God.

Who do you share your songs with before releasing them? You’ll be surprised, I share my songs with my own family, i.e. my husband and two children. They are the first to hear them from when they are birthed, to sing along, comment, worship, dance, cry if need be! And I involve them through the production process.

Would you do a live recording? Oh yes, I definitely would. I would take my time to do it though, because I’m very meticulous and I believe in excellence. So yes, I would and I would plan it well.

Are you back on the music scene for good now?

If you were to do a remix of a song on First Love album and feature someone, which song would it be and with who? This is not a very easy question but if I really had to, I would do a remix of Unchanging God and would feature Brother Takesure Zamar Ncube.

“ONCE WE DO WHAT WE DO BECAUSE WE WANT TO IMPRESS OTHERS AND WE INSIST ON OUR OWN WAY, LEAVING GOD OUT OF IT... THERE IS NO JOY OR SENSE OF FULFILMENT IN IT AND FAILURE IS A BIG POSSIBILITY. “

[Laughs] I never actually left! A gift does not retire, resign or die. It remains there even when in some seasons it lays low. So I’ve always been here, I’m here to stay and no matter what happens I’m not going anywhere.

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CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

n November 3, 2018 the Zimbabwe International Women’s Awards (ZIWA) ceremony was held in Birmingham. This year was the 5th year of celebrating the achievements and excellence of women of Zimbabwean origin all around the world. Nominees and guests attended from Zimbabwe, South Africa and the USA; the special guests were The Lord Mayor of Birmingham Councillor Yvonne Mosquito and Her Consort Mr Winston Mosquito. With each year, the event has grown in stature, has become the ‘must-go-to’ event for many supporters. That is a testament to the hard work, passion, commitment and DETERMINATION of the entire ZIWA Team. Here, ZIWA Panel Coordinator and Communications Lead, and our very own Associate Editor Rhoda Molife tells us why determination matters for ZIWA. Can you highlight some individuals that have shown determination in their fields and why they are deserving as ZIWA winners? Well, that’s a tough question to answer; because each short-listed nominee has shown immense passion and commitment as well as determination to get to where they are. If I must highlight anyone it has to be Mrs ‘Gogo’ Hatifari Munongi. She was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award this year for her achievements and services to education. To have obtained a university degree at the age of 76 is without a shadow of doubt a mark of exceptional determination. For all of us to meet her was an honour.

From left: ZIWA Founder Jules Jonathan, The Lord Mayor of Birmingham Councillor Yvonne Mosquito and Her Consort Mr Winston Mosquito.

CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

ZIMBABWE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S AWARDS CEREMONY

Akashinga, the all-female rangers group who were awarded The Founder’s Award have also displayed immense determination. These ladies have persevered through abuse and tragedy to find their ‘why’ and their purpose and do what they do to the best of their ability and for their families. They couldn’t come to the awards which was quite regrettable because they would have bought the house down. Oh, and we cannot forget Bobby Mutasa who got The Courage Award – from a burns survivor to a motivational speaker, the woman is a force! How has ZIWA demonstrated determination to overcome setbacks and help the Zimbabwean community at large to thrive? I think the fact that we have got to 5 years hopefully shows our community that it is possible to move from an idea to reality once you are committed and passionate and believe fully in what you do. One of our biggest challenges has always been how to finance our events. Up until last year, we have always funded the event through ticket sales and our own pockets – we

never let that stop us because our mission has been to share these amazing women and their achievements with our community. This year that determination paid off because we got some sponsorship from Express Links International and Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG) which really made it easier to put on what we hope was a quality event for our winners and guests. We really hope that our community is inspired by the nominees and winners and the narrative we are telling about ourselves and that this inspiration helps us all thrive. Which are some of the ZIWA success stories that really define determination? There are so many but some that stand out are the winners of The Courage Award since 2015: Paida Mutupo, who spoke openly about being HIV+ at a time when there was still stigma associated with the condition, and Sinikiwe Kademaunga who was born without wrists and as a dwarf and who did not let that get in the way of living her best life. Then there’s Nellie English who ran across Africa to raise funds for a mental health charity in 2016; Maud Chifamba – Africa’s youngest university student back in 2015 and Tanya Muzinda, Sportswoman of the Year 2015 who is just rising in the world of motocross racing. There are so many and what’s great is that they all continue to grow and shine. We are just so grateful to know them. These are the real celebrities! But I must give hats off to my fellow ZIWA Committee Members past and present. Jules Jonathan and Moud Goba came up with a brilliant idea but the magic is in how they inspired other women to join the gang and keep things going to this point! These women are phenomenal – they have their own careers that are demanding, families that they are devoted to, yet put another 100% of their energy into ZIWA. I cannot tell you how focussed these women are – Mussah MolifeMupfurutsa, Rutendo M’tandari, Shingai Mushayabasa, Nomsa Sibanda, Patience Charuma, Carol Nyahasha, Laura Rashai and Fari Musa – all of them!

ZIWA2018: Our Legacy

aurore CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

T is one of South Africa’s top Real Estate agents. He always empowers people to go after their dreams and he always says, “Black child, you can do it!” If you follow TT, you will know that he is full of life and he is one of those people who’s always happy to share tips on how to be a successful entrepreneur. We caught up with TT Mbha to tap into making real estate dreams come true.

Who is TT Mbha? I am a young dreamer from Pimville in Soweto, who has always believed that the world is his stage.

“YOU MUST FIRST FIND YOUR PASSION WHICH WILL ORGANICALLY LEAD TO YOUR PURPOSE WHICH WILL SOONER OR LATER TURN INTO A PROFESSION”

What does determination mean to you?

People must first find their passion which will organically lead them to their purpose - which will sooner or later turn into a profession.

Determination for me means never giving up against all odds.

How do you keep yourself going and grounded?

How did you become one of South Africa’s top real estate agents?

I have a vision board that I commit to daily. My values are God, family, then business. I never forget where I come from and I respect everyone irrespective of their social standing.

By constant willingness to learn and good work ethic.

What’s the inspiration behind your company name? (Black Real Estate) Black is a colour that represents excellence to me, so if I can’t achieve perfection in real estate, I will happily settle for excellence.

Do you think renting is a good idea? If not, why? Why would you want to help someone else pay off their bond?

Do your friends always come to you when they need to buy houses? Some do, and some don’t. It doesn’t bother me because we all have choices after all.

If you were to sell a house to a well-known individual, who would it be and why? I’ve sold a lot of homes to many famous people in the past, but I would love to sell to Oprah someday - because she represents multi-faceted excellence.

Some people may say you have an obsession with homes, what say you? I think I do - but it’s a great obsession to have because it makes money for me!

Do you think fame can change a person? It shouldn’t, but some people can’t handle what comes with fame. I think fame is overrated.

What’s the secret behind your happiness? Being true to myself makes me happy because I don’t have to pretend to be what I’m not.

Apart from Real Estate, what has been your greatest achievement so far? Being there to witness the birth of my daughters is the most special thing I’ve ever been a part of.

What’s it like being a father to two girls? It’s the greatest achievement of my life because God made it all possible.

Is your wife involved in your business? Yes, very much. She is a silent shareholder

What’s your biggest fear in life? I fear God and nothing else.

True or false: your favourite colour is red? True because it’s the colour of love and power at the same time.

Focusing on dreams, what’s your advice to people who do not know how to achieve their dreams? CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE 30

CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

his summer saw a revolution in terms of social gatherings with the formation and launch of Grill Yard, aka The Yard. It can only be interpreted as the UK’s answer to Eyadini based in South Africa (SA). The concept behind Grill Yard is to provide a hangout spot to grill meat, eat food and dance to live music from the hottest DJs in the UK and abroad. Trending SA artists like Zakes, DJ Cyndo and the Omunye hit-maker Dladla Mshunqisi have graced the Grill Yard with performances as part of their UK tours. We checked out the Grill Yard and we found it to be a great spot indeed! What is the inspiration behind Grill Yard UK? It started out as a hobby really, a pastime for our people, grilling, enjoying music, eating and chilling. It’s a place away from grownups where no one’s being hassled by aunts and uncles. The inspiration came from places like kwaMereki in Zimbabwe and Eyadini Umlaza & Lounge in South Africa. The biggest objective was to customise The Yard into our UK crowd’s taste and vibe. Who came up with the idea to start Grill Yard?

How did you manage to deal with the conflict from the Eyadini founders? We reached out to them and tried to resolve the issue privately. We had pushed our name Grill Yard more and #eyadiniuk was only ever a hashtag. What are some of the highlights of this year’s Grill Yard events? We had the opportunity to host SA superstars like DJ Cindo Dladla and Zakes. More importantly every failure and criticism was a lesson for us that we had to learn, bearing in mind how many people have tried and failed at this BBQ thing.

MIDLANDS’

#1 BBQ HANGOUT SPOT

Just a continuation of a concept I had from my initial brainchild - a ‘promotions company’ I won’t name. My home boys felt the idea and ever since we have been combining our different qualities and skills and all pushing it together. But the concept is constantly evolving each time a wellwisher comes in with positive energy. What is the main aim for the Grill Yard? We aim to create the Midlands’ #1 BBQ hangout spot, feature tasty, freshly-flavoured bites and vibes from Southern Africa. We want to perfect the art of the grill and basically own the weekends! Even further, we want to promote our way of life and create a futuristic way of socialising. Why did you change the name from Eyadini to Grill Yard UK? We wanted to relate to a broader UK market in contrast to limiting to the few people who understood what Eyadini is or meant. In addition, there was a conflict because of a misunderstanding by Eyadini Lounge. They went on a social media campaign claiming we made false advertisements that they had extended to the UK, etc.

Have you had any pitfalls and how do you rise from those situations? Our first venue forced us to cancel almost 10 bookings. We had so many enquiries from people wanting to bring artists from Zimbabwe and Angola as well. In the end we found a better and more convenient venue that accommodated our vision well. However, we still struggled with lack of expertise when dealing with public relations and unprofessional contractors. What’s been your biggest challenge so far?

The lack of mentors and guidance. The people we looked up to perceived us as competition and tried to sabotage our efforts instead of directing us from mistakes they’d already made and sharing the tricks of the trade. In addition, our people constantly want free things, ignoring the fact that we’ve made an inv estment that we need a return from. When we try to compromise, people will still want the most they can get out of you with the least effort. Is this going to be held only during the summer or all year long? This year was a trial, but we aim to keep going. We’ll spend all winter at the drawing board developing the concept more - from packaging, new products to the actual menu, attractions and the other detail. The concept of the ‘Grill Yard Experience’ is not just food or music, it’s also the enjoyment and a rockstar lifestyle essentially.

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CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

RUDO MUCHOKO RMPublishers Founder by Sakhile Classique Khanye

udo Muchoko is one of the major backbones

Classique

Q&A

Magazine. Apart from playing a

big role in the magazine, she is also the Founder of RMpublishers and PaWaR, a networking platform for Publishers, Writers and Readers. RM Publishers is a powerhouse company that publishes this magazine. As Miss Classique, I am proud to say I have an articulate friend and business partner because Rudo graduated with a BA Hons degree in Publishing and English. Find out how she balanced University and a business at once.

Tell us about yourself? My name is Rudo Muchoko. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a graduate of Loughborough University with a BA (Hons) in Publishing and English. I recently started working at Warwick University as a Second Stage Publisher. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a published author of two novels, When Love Strikes and The Barn. Being a writer fuelled my passion to become a publisher and before I enrolled on the course, I had started my own publishing company. Now with more than 50 titles, RM PUBLISHERS LTD seeks to promote BAME writers and publish tantalising titles such as Classique Q&A magazine which is at the heart of what we do!

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CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

What does determination mean to you? For me, determination is the will to succeed at all costs. This means that despite the difficulties you may face, if you put your mind to something, you’ll find ways and means to succeed.

How did you balance being a full-time university student and running a business? It wasn’t the easiest of things to do but both were equally important to me. Therefore strategizing and staying balanced was key. Asking for help and collaborating with others made it more bearable and being organised was definitely useful.

What are some of the difficulties you faced as a student and how did you overcome them? Definitely FINANCES! However, I thank God for provision. I also wished there were more than 24 hours in the day - especially towards the end, but then I had learnt the skill of prioritising on important tasks and rescheduling the less difficult ones for a later time. Distance was another thing. I chose a university which was far from home and so I had to commute. Not only did this eat into my valuable study time, but also made me very tired and grumpy. Moral of the story - stay close to your chosen university if you can.

How determined were you to achieve your goals? What kept you going? Finishing the course and passing was important on a personal level and for my business. I guess people like the idea of buying from a ‘qualified person’ - so being confident about my ability to deliver and being accountable to my customers was highly important to me. What kept me going? I guess the idea of wearing a graduation gown! I did it and it was such an incredible feeling! I also had a lot of support from family, friends, colleagues and loved ones and above all God kept me going.

Well I wouldn’t change anything really because on my path I came across many things that changed my life for the better. For example, I had an opportunity to study in Italy for 6 months and that was the best part of my course! However, I wish I was involved in more extra-curricular activities. Because of the commute and business, I didn’t have extra time to do other things and with Loughborough University being renowned for its sporting activities, I missed out. Who knows? I could’ve been the next Lord Coe – (she says wistfully!) I didn’t get to hang out and eat in all the food places in Loughborough either, but I did have a lot of pizza in Italy - foodie at heart.

Now that you have graduated, what should we expect from RM PUBLISHERS and do you have any personal goals? We are working on a lot of exciting projects. Since graduation we’ve published a number of books already, and we are growing and expanding. You can always follow us on social media to find out more about what we’re up to.

What’s your advice to people who are doing their first year? Join as many societies as possible and be more involved with what’s going on at your university. Make important relationships through networking not just for the partying and the fun stuff, although that’s important too - tribe vibes, right?! Keep a diary, be organised, take notes in lectures, make new friends, talk to people and enjoy your time at university - it goes by quickly. Master referencing in the first year - life will become easier for you in subsequent years. Learning is not done in lecture rooms only. Find a lesson in everything you go through - it’ll make you wiser. Make use of that student finance on important things like travelling the world or learning to drive!

What’s your advice to people who are going to university and are not sure about their chosen course? Choosing a course has more to do with your WHY! For me, I needed to acquire more knowledge about publishing and hence I chose to study Publishing and English. You need to choose a path that you are passionate about because at the end of the day, you want to do things that make you happy and get you jumping out of bed! You’ll have to spend a number of years at university, so choosing a course just because it’s the ‘in thing’ is not going to help much if you’re not passionate about it.

If you were to change one thing about your years at university, what would it be? CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE 36

CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE

STAR OF THE ISSUE

Lance Guma

ance Guma is a legendary journalist in the

Before Classique Q&A magazine was born,

Zimbabwean community. He is the founder

Lance Guma was one of the people who helped

of Nehanda TV and Nehanda Radio and

us to create the concept. He enables young

has over 400 000 people subscribed to his news

and aspiring journalists to grow by providing

channel. He has interviewed influential figures

a platform where they can acquire knowledge

such as Nelson Chamisa, Philip Chiyangwa,

and be inspired. He motivates them and

Tendai Biti and Sulumani Chimbetu to name but

encourages them to keep focused on starting

a few.

their own projects.

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CLASSIQUE Q&A MAGAZINE