Advokate I

ARTIST PROFILE

a) BACKGROUND

Advokate I born Gabriel Muchanyu is an International Musician, Singer/ Songwriter, MessenJah, a Businessman and a Self-proclaimed People's ADVOKATE - Gwetarevanhu from Africa. He was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on the 22nd of May 1995. In the early 2000s his family relocated to Torwood a small mining town in Kwekwe in the Midlands province. He's the last born in a family of five, two brothers and two sisters. He did his primary and secondary school at George Hill and Batanai (ZISCO) High respectively. Gabriel Muchanyu passed his ordinary level with flying colours but couldn't manage to further his studies due to financial issues.

b) HOW HE STARTED MUSIC

He never thought of becoming a musician one day, it all started in 2011. He has always loved reggae/ dancehall since he was exposed to more of it growing up. The love for doing music developed after watching a group of fellow students performing on a school prize giving day. He later on found himself searching for rythm tracks/ instrumental beats which were scarce by the time. He wrote his first song using self knowledge and boom the journey started. He recorded his first demo in 2011/12 using a phone while playing the instrumental beat on the other phone.

c) EARLY MUSIC DAYS AND EXPERIENCES

His first proper studio experience was at Manix Bros Studios in 2014. Since then he's been involved in musical activities which saw him sharing the stage with the legendary Zigzag Band of Chigiyo music from Kwekwe, Zimbabwe. His professional music career started in 2020, that was after he met Don Franco Tafari (online) who helped him on establishing himself as a professional. That same year he met Rebel Shumba who helped him with branding and more.

d) PROJECTS

1. ROYAL DEVOTION (EP) 2021

On the 5th of November 2021 he released his debut EP, Royal Devotion which produced House Of Exile cover originally done by the late Lucky Dube. The song cover captured hearts of many as well as introducing Advokate I to the South African reggae community. It was featured on MzansiReggae, QueenSoulVibes SA and EarGROUND magazines. The live session video got featured on The African Playlist on Soweto TV in celebration of the Heritage Month on the 1st of September 2022 together with Up and Down music video, all taken off Royal Devotion.

2. HEART AND SOUL (EP) 2022

Advokate I went on to release his 2nd EP, Heart And Soul exactly a year later from the release of the 1st one. Heart And Soul featured a talented Ugandan singer/ songwriter as well as a record producer Tai Tan UG who's also the producer of the particular song titled Dzokorora. The whole 6 track reggae and afrobeats project is available on digital stores worldwide accompanied by a couple of visuals for songs like Real Friends and Gone Too Soon.

3. I HAVE BEEN THERE (music video) 2023

After being a victim of INJUSTICE back in 2013-14,...