Advokate I

ARTIST PROFILE - ADVOKATE I

1. BACKGROUND
Advokate I is a recording and performing reggae musician, singer/ songwriter and an award nominee under the Best New African Act category at UMP music awards (2025). He was born Gabriel Muchanyu 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 did his primary and secondary school at George Hill and Batanai (ZISCO) High school respectively. Advokate I is a Self-proclaimed People's advocate for social change, he uses his music and platform to promote not only love, tranquility and togetherness but justice, equality and accountability within societies.

2. THE BEGINNING
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.

3. EARLY MUSIC DAYS & 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 R. Shumba of Shumba Productions who helped him with branding and more.

4. DISCOGRAPHY
• Royal Devotion (EP) 2021
• Heart And Soul (EP) 2022
• I Have Been There (single) 2023

5. NEW PROJECTS
• The Revelation Album (2025)
• Assurance ft Sally 8N (2025)

6. INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS
• Dzokorora ft Tai Tan Ug (Uganda)
• Zvinodhaka ft Chantty Natural (Botswana)
• Highlife ft Njoza KeProblem (South Africa)

7. PERFOMANCES
• UMP Festival (2025), Malawi
https://youtu.be/c_OfWZMpKgQ?si=KALgRZpFptpKAfLS

• Kwekwe Festival (2025), Zimbabwe
https://youtu.be/KeUgGN4Xyho?si=S1ivJqvA7AAk331e
• Kwekwe High School Talent Show
https://youtu.be/VA66FkgxPxI?si=I5R8hIwWLSW5nE-o
• Mayor's Challenge Cup, Zimbabwe
https://youtu.be/4BxPmQSPUkI?si=X8EsR1qk4QN6OSrv

8) INTERVIEWS
i) TV
• Soweto TV (2022), African Playlist, Ras Sipho Mantula
• Tagy TV, Reggae and Dancehall show, Omusawo Tintah

ii) RADIO
• Sajonisi Youth Radio, South Africa
https://youtu.be/Lz5wolFPEhc?si=Fh1ebX2aLbQZEv8w
• Kasupe Radio, Malawi
https://youtu.be/dyBp3S9GBXU?si=ObKbOq37kH4m8QoE
• Tshwane FM, South Africa
https://youtu.be/LH6Pnuvki18?si=JJwOPKKHZuiMLZIk

iii) NEWSPAPER/ MAGAZINES/ BLOGS
• Gillaz Mann GT, Phreshy hails Advokate I for bravery acts - The Standard https://share.google/LOQDO8m7caLoM8cM9
• Advokate I release debut album a decade after launching his musical career - The...