Alick Macheso

Alick Macheso (born 10 June 1968), is a Zimbabwean musician. He came onto the music scene as a solo artist in 1998, with his debut album Magariro, which carried "Pakutema Munda ", probably the least noticeable from that album. The first cut never received any recognition but he continued to release Vakiridzo the following year. Similarly, the response was lukewarm and in the coming 12 months, he went back into the studio and came out with Simbaradzo.

Alick Macheso
Alick Macheso performing in 2012
Background information
Birth name	Alick Silva Macheso
Also known as	Extrabasso, Razorwire, Cheso-Power, Chikopokopo, Baba Shero Aleck
Born	(1968-06-10) June 10, 1968
Origin	Shamva, Zimbabwe
Genres	Sungura
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, guitarist, dancer, choreographer
Instruments	Vocals, Bass guitar (can play all other guitars but prefers bass)
Years active	1983–present
Labels	Last Power
Associated acts	Suluman Chimbetu, Tryson Chimbetu, Baba Harare, Freeman, Kinnah

Simbaradzo was to be the turning point in his career and Mundikumbuke and Amai VaRubhi brought Macheso into the limelight. He was to follow on the success of Simbaradzo with Zvakanaka Zvakadaro. He can dance, sing and play the guitar - a rare combination of skills among musicians. Zvakanaka Zvakadaro was followed, in 2003, by Zvido Zvenyu Kunyanya. In 2011 he initiated the popular Zora Butter dance which has come to be known as Macheso's initiative.[1]

Macheso was born in 1968 in Shamva, 90 kilometres to the north of Harare, to parents of Malawian origin - a fact that was to inspire him to be able to speak and sing in five languages - Shona, Chichewa, Sena, Venda and Lingala. Growing on a farm, especially before Zimbabwe 's Independence from Britain in 1980, the environment did not offer him many opportunities. In 1983, at the youthful age of 15, he left the farm compounds of Shamva and headed for Harare.

Arriving in the capital at the invitation of a relative, who had been inspired by Macheso's guitar-playing prowess at the farm compounds, the two went on a music-inspired journey, joining several bands, mostly sungura-playing outfits.

In 1997, he broke ranks with the Khiama Boys fronted by Nicholas Zakaria, to form his own Orchestra Mberikwazvo.

He is well known throughout Southern Africa as one of the most successful singers and ranked among the best bass guitarists on the continent. He is Zimbabwe's best-ever selling artiste with his album Simbaradzo being the highest ever sold album in Zimbabwe. Macheso is arguably the best sungura artist to ever emerge from Zimbabwe. In recent years Macheso has risen to become an advertising face for many corporations that include the country's leading bakery Bakers Inn, paint company Nash Paints and humanitarian organisation Red Cross. Macheso's recent achievement was his appointment as ambassador for housing company, which deals with Enhanced Mortgaging and Housing, which targets low-income earners and self-employed clients. Macheso has also used his role to assist fellow artists acquire residential stands at affordable rates.

He has ventured into charity and humanitarian work, for instance in May 2019, he started building two classroom blocks at his former primary school in Shamva; Enterprise Primary School. He also offered to pay school fees for 105 less privileged pupils at the same school.

In 2020, Alick Macheso will release his new album called Band reVanhu