The concept of predestination
Christian theology is a doctrine that states that God has ordained all that will happen. From writing chart-topping songs to the pain of the loss of a father Audius Mutawarira talks about his musical influences, musical career, his latest album entitled “Predestination” and his other ventures besides music.
With a musical discography that includes Sony Music Australia and Universal Publishing one tends to be humbled in the presents of greatness. Zimbabwean Audius Mtawarira is a multi-ARIA Award-winning Australian record producer, composer, artist and songwriter more commonly known as “Audius”. A musical genius with a list of credits and accolades many dreams of has been in the world music industry since 1999. Producing amazing hits such as Meant to Be (Selwyn), “Kissing You” (Stan Walker), Rikki-Lee (Ricki-Lee Coulter), “Like This” featuring Iyaz (Jessica Mauboy) and many more.
Audius a well known also as a recording artist with album titles such as‘Audius’ (2002), ‘Ever After’ (2003), ‘Music and Me’ (2005) and ‘Day Like This’ (2008). In 2003, Audius won the Best Urban Grooves (Male) at the Zimbabwe Music Awards. Audius has been penning down some more amazing and heartfelt music for us to enjoy from his upcoming album due to be released in early 2016.
In your time with Sony Music Australia, what did you do more in songwriting or production?
Audius: What I did more in Australia was songwriting more than producing or artistry and they would give me an artist and say write something.
Since you came back what is been going on?
Audius: Well when I came back initially I came back sooner I was supposed to come back in 2014 but I came earlier because my father was ill and I wanted to come back to be his support as part of the family that’s why when I came back I was quite. My dad since then passed away and after that, it’s been a slow progression to getting on my feet. Keeping the family together looking at Zimbabwe as an industry, territory for investment and so forth. I have another interest not just in music, I am interested in farming, and mining and I am a business per- son at heart. So I was putting my feelers out there and seeing what was out there.
Where do you draw your songwriting inspiration from?
Audius: I draw my songwriting inspiration from my heart and from personal experiences or from experiences people have had close to me. So whether it’s someone telling me an interesting story or it’s something I have been through myself. Because I think it would really suck as a listener to be hearing a song that does not speak any contextual sense that’s not relative to your life at all. So I try to make my songs relative to other people’s lives and experiences. My teacher in high school told me if I want to write a story quicker and easier write a true story.
What is the most inspirational musical era for you?
Audius: That’s a very good question…..for me as well as the R&B era of the 90’s the birth of the Boyz to Men, bell biv devoe, New Edition, Blackstreet, Mariah Carey emerged at the time, Tevin Campbell, BabyFace, it’s the era that influenced me the most simply because that’s what was happening at the time. Radio again was standardized playing good music on rotation almost teaching the next generation of musicians or music lovers what great music was.
What is the background to your upcoming album?
Audius: I have called the album ‘Predesti- nation’ simply because as a word it talks about how when you arrive somewhere you might feel as though it’s a completely sporadic thing me being in Zimbabwe, me being at this point in my life. Meanwhile, I think that there is a destiny to live you find yourself in places you need to be for various purposes that you might not be aware of when it happens but later on in life, you will be like I am glad I did this. I am glad I took the time to do that. I am in Zimbabwe at the moment going through hardships along with everybody else looking at how things can be made better. Hopeful for the future and I feel predestination was a good description for the album The songs really do talk about evolving to certain points, some of the songs have taken a while to come to fruition. There is a song I started writing with Wanya Morris from Boys to Men literally four years ago and I am only finishing for this album. There is also a song I did with the Soweto gospel choir which I am also including on this album. So things slowly cemented into this point and I am happy to be releasing this album.
