Lyton Ngolomi

Wife

He is married to gospel musician Bethany Pasinawako-Ngolomi.^[3]

Education

He did his primary school at Mberi Junior School before enrolling at Zengeza 3 High School in Chitungwiza for his secondary education. In 1997 when he was in Form 3 he mastered a keyboard and used to sing in church but he was not active in the school choir since he had a passion for soccer. He played alongside Murape Murape at high school.^[1]

Career

Before venturing into music, Ngolomi was a semi-professional footballer who played for Zupco and Arcadia United football clubs.^[2] He once played Division 1 soccer with Catercraft FC where his father used to work along with his brother Eliah.^[1]

Ngolomi founded Lyt-ON Studios together with his brother Brian in 2010. His brother influenced him to quit football. The studio was initially meant to record and promote upcoming gospel musicians. Blessing Shumba’s award-winning album NdiMwari and Agatha Murudzwa’s Press On are among pioneer projects done by Lyt-ON Studios.

Ngolomi told the Daily News that he became a music producer by accident. He said:

“From the soccer pitch, I pursued gospel music. The idea of producing our own music came after studios we had contracted to produce the music failed to do it the way we wanted."

Though Ngolomi majors in gospel music, at one point he produced Urban Grooves music with the help of the late TBA who was coming from Chamhembe. The two worked with Blash, Sniper Storm, 60 Miles, Ngoni Kambarami and Leonard Mapfumo.^[2]

Ngolomi said he honed his producing skills under the tutelage of Lazarus Chikwewo at VOJ Studios in Hatfield for more than a decade. Seasoned producer Wonder Pinchisi was also instrumental along with his brother Brian Ngolomi. His breakthrough came after he produced Kudzi Nyakudya's album Ndamuona Jesu around 2007/8.^[1]

Xtreme Gospel Afrique

He set-up a 30-member member choir called Xtreme Gospel Afrique.^[1] In 2015 the choir scooped the “African Golden Virtual Awards” for the Best Artiste Group/African Gospel. The group won the award ahead of three artists from Gabon, Nigeria and Cameroon.^[4]

Bankruptcy

In 2015 his household furniture was taken to be auctioned for a debt. A local bank through the Sheriff of the High Court of Zimbabwe seized his furniture that included a wardrobe, 2 plate gas stove and a Samsung plasma television among others in June 2015. Ngolomi told a publication that he needed to clarify the position with the bank. He said:

<blockquote“I will have to confirm with them because the goods were supposed to be taken last year.” ^[3]

Controversies

Recording 'Copycats'

Blessing Shumba left Ngolomi's studio after reports that the producer had reduplicated his sound and voice in Mathias Mhere’s projects.^[3] Mhere recorded two albums including Anoita Minana, which features the hit song Favour and Nguva Yenyasha with Ngolomi before he ironically dumped him following rumours that he was launching yet another singer Justice Chiware, who was mistaken for Mhere because of the striking similarity in their music.^[5]

In 2014, Ngolomi made headlines after he produced Trymore Bande’s album Zvakagara Zvakadaro which critics said sounded like some of Charles Charamba’s popular albums. He was involved in a near fistfight with an upcoming artiste, Nicholas Chirunga, after the two failed to agree on ownership of some songs.^[3]

References