BY FREEMAN MAKOPA AUSTRALIA-BASED RnB/Soul/Afro Pop artiste Mufaro Maringe, who has been trending on Aussie radio stations with his latest song Moove II which features renowned American producer Solyd the Plug, has disclosed that it’s never easy to do music on foreign soil, especially in Australia where the industry may not be as sizeable as in other markets. “It’s definitely not as easy as some of us make it look, that’s for sure! But just like any other career in life, you have to work hard to achieve success and as a creative person, you really have to have your own personal definition of success! Doing music on foreign soil is hard work for sure, especially in Australia where the industry may not be as sizeable as other markets, but the talent pool truly overflows. I think with the right amount of hard work, exposure and support, you can make a decent profit and even afford to make music or entertainment your full-time gig, I’ve seen many artistes here do exactly that. “But the COVID pandemic has really exposed where the arts sit on the priority list of those in power, so it’s been saddening to see some of my peers lose out on so much work this year. Either way, we push on and keep making music and keep entertaining the people,” he said. The Girl hitmaker told NewsDay Life & Style that he was lucky that his music was gaining international recognition, adding that opening up shows for touring artistes strengthened his career. “I am a musical artiste, currently living in Melbourne Australia. Up until last year I lived in Brisbane (about 2 000km North), where I feel my career sort of began, dating back to early 2010, when I was part of a group called RAWR Entertainment. “I have been very lucky to have released music that is heard around the world and to have performed with a decent mix of national and international artistes, to have opened shows for other touring artists like Jah Prayzah, ExQ, Sani Makhalima, Oliver Mtukudzi, Nutty O and Nasty C to name a few. In Brisbane I had a band called “The Barehouse” and together we crafted an amazing set of high energy, live music that saw us play to various sized crowds including a couple of festivals and sell out shows. I am always grateful for The Barehouse and can attribute a lot of my career success to them.” Digital marketer and content creator by profession, Maringe revealed that his greatest challenge has been to make music that resonates with the Australian market and his native country: “The greatest (and also most rewarding) challenge of my journey has been connecting with people! Music is a powerful tool in connecting with people everywhere and sometimes that can really be hit or miss. This all plays into living in the diaspora and wanting to make music that resonates with both the country you are in, and your people back home. Australia and Zimbabwe are very different when it comes to musical tastes, so I’m really working to find that sweet spot for everybody,” he added. Maringe said his first breakthrough was when he and his band won a competition in Brisbane c