One would think Zimbabwe is suffering from a deficiency of beautiful woman after witnessing what can be likened to a ‘gold rush’ by male musicians as they stampede to South Africa to get models who appear in their videos.
Before roping in regional or international recognition, Zimbabwean male musicians always have a place for local models in their videos but once they go big on top billed creations, preference alters to foreign talent which sends one wondering again on whether or not Zimbabwean models are good or beautiful enough for an international arena.
A good example is that of Jah Prayzah, who has been on a globetrotting campaign, featuring a lot of international musicians while in the process featuring exotic dancers.
Does it mean we do not have enough good looking models Jah?
263Chat spoke to Gift Petro who manages Andy Muridzo, who so far has stuck to local talent when it comes to featuring women on his videos.
“We cannot really say woman who feature in music videos are there to push one’s brand.
“Some artists may use that as an excuse saying, ‘I collaborate with a Mozambican artist to push my brand in their country then feature a South African model in the video to push my brand again in her home.’
“However, it sometimes depends with where you would have shot the video and if maybe it is in Botswana in order to cut costs you just use a model from there which is cheaper than carrying one from here.”
But, if an artist can carry a whole band on tour would one model be expensive to accommodate for? Not necessarily saying that after accommodating her she should not be paid though.
“As a modelling agency and a talent manager I would honestly say we do not have that cream which some of these international artists would be looking for in top billing music videos. The industry is not at its pick.
“Mainly because in Zimbabwe we do not take modelling seriously and of the models we have, most of them take it as a hobby.” said Fisher Jordan a talent manager of a local modelling agency.
On the other hand Zimbabwean female artists seem to have embraced their local men into their music videos, taking key reference to Ammara Brown and Cindy Munyavi in their latest videos.
Yes! Zimbabwe’s modelling industry may not be that lucrative for now but some of the things expected from women who feature in some of these local men’s music videos are so simple and plain, that even amateurs can be equal to task.
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