By Joyce Mukucha
It has emerged that a local multitalented woman, wife, comedian, and former gospel singer, Tyra Chikocho affectionately known as Madam Boss is visioning big as she plans to start her own media house.
A once housemaid who grew up going back and forth between Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital city, and rural areas is signing deals with international brands and the motive to open a media house is being inspired by Tyler Perry, this publication was informed.
The media house is targeted at joining thousands of people especially women around the world to create a better future for themselves and their families.
The birth of her comedy character was inspired by the various people she worked for. Tyra mentioned that when her mum, who was the sole breadwinner, passed away, she had to start working in rural areas as a maid. She worked for her mother’s friend and sold different things during the day. This helped her to become familiar with different people.
She is one of the women who have achieved a level of success that surpassed their wildest dreams.
In an exclusive interview, Chikocho’s manager, Fanwell Masunungure revealed that it is the brand’s aim to groom more Madam Bosses all over the country in five years’ time.
“From what we are building right now, I see Madam Boss brand going internationally, signing deals with international brands. As we intend to open a media house just like Tyler Perry did, we want to groom more Madam Bosses all over the country. In five years, she won’t be doing skits. She will be inspiring others through her work and media house. In five years, the name Madam Boss will be known in the whole of Africa and beyond,” he said.
Besides focusing on initiating a media house, the versatile entertainer also had quite a number of tours both inside the country and abroad in the past weeks.
In October, she was on a tour with one of the leading brands in the country, 1202 Herbal Solution.
In the past few weeks, she has been pushing for #Zimbho and #VisitZimbabwe – popular domestic tourism promotion initiatives out of her own love for local heritage. She toured Mazowe, Chinhoyi, Nyanga mountains among other resort areas.
Madam Boss is also promising to bring fireworks to the young couples through a lit programme aimed at bringing joy to the youngsters.
“We have some exciting things coming up. Just keep watching. Without saying much, let me give you a hint and we are going to bring joy to a lot of young couples out there – a big program coming on Madam Boss,” Masunungure said.
Madam Boss is also well known for doing skits with her housemaid known as Mai Bee for quite a long time.
Many people are not aware that Mai Bee is Madam Boss’s house-help in real life. They think it’s just for acting.
This publication also had an in-depth interview with Madam Boss’s manager so as to have a deep insight pertaining to Tyra and Mai Bee’s relationship.
It has been learnt that the two have a bond far from that of an employee and employer.
“She is like a big sister to her. She is part of her family. Her whole family loves her. She takes care of her child as if it was her own and that’s something that she cherishes the most about her – the way she clicks with her daughter. In a nutshell, Mai Bee and Tyra have a bond far from that of an employee and employer,” said Masunungure.
He added that Mai Bee has been with her for as long as she can remember. It’s been years and counting. He mentioned that she has a passion for acting.
“You should see how she rushes to put on makeup when there is a shoot. She loves it and I think that’s what she is good at.”
Pertaining challenges on coming up with skits with her housemaid, the manager explained that there were no many challenges encountered.
“We usually come up with skits of real-life events like we all know how most maids and their Madams treat each other so that’s what those skits try to show but of course, with a little of humor.”
In terms of music, Madam Boss is said to have a few surprises on the way as well. Previously, she has recorded quite a number of songs with Eternity Productions. She has staged shows alongside Shingisai Suluma, Kudzi Nyakudya, and many others. She has her debut six-track album Sunungura that featured artists such as Ngoni Kambarami and MacDee as well as Kudzi Nyakudya.
Asked about how COVID-19 affected her business, Madam Boss pointed out that it is very unfortunate that a lot of artists were affected by the pandemic but as for herself, the epidemic didn’t seriously interrupt her operation. Instead, the lockdown brought opportunities for her.
“I think the only negative effect was that we couldn’t travel around and do some work outside Harare or abroad but otherwise the lockdown brought a lot of deals for people like me. Our work is mainly on social media and if there was a time that more people were glued to their social media, it was during the pandemic.
“My following grew even bigger during the pandemic and still is growing and I was signed by a lot of brands due to my growing clean brand. We never stopped working and I’m very excited because I kept my fans happy through the lockdown and I must say our following has since increased in the past few months. A lot of people were at home most of the time and we made sure they were kept entertained. We also at all costs kept the brand very clean and that’s why we remained visible and attractive for both fans and corporates. That would be a lie if I say I’ve not been coping, God has been good to us,” she said.
Also, she has been so busy making skits and doing a lot of brand Ambassadorships work with a number of brands.
Asked about the relationship between Madam and her husband, Mhofela, real name Ngonidzashe Munetsiwa, Masunungure said Mhofela is a supportive man who loves and appreciates his wife’s talent.
“He is the director and scriptwriter of most of those skits and he even acts on some of them. Mhofela is 100% in support. It’s like a family business and also, remember that Mhofela has been a Madam Boss manager for years. Mhofela is a brilliant and very creative screenwriter as well as an actor so there aren’t many challenges at all, it has been revealed.
“He also doesn’t have a problem at all with Mai Bee being part and parcel of the skits. As long as Mai Bee wants to be in the skit and like I said before, everyone in the family loves her including Mhofela. Mai Bee is likable and Mhofela just like everyone in the family treats her like family. They respect each other.”
Masunungure also broke the silence on rumours about Madam Boss cheating on her husband.
“People say a lot of things about this couple but what I know is no one has ever seen any of them cheating. It’s okay. Let everyone say whatever they want but these guys’ marriage is envied by many. I know them personally and I can tell you that these two are meant for each other. I mean it’s obvious from the connection that everyone sees on their skits together,” he said.
Those who know her say back then, Madam Boss was dark in complexion and accuse her of bleaching the skin. Other romours also have it that even Mai Bee is now bleaching.
Vouching for her and commenting on the beauty and skin of Madam Boss, Masunungure denied the fact that Tyra applies skin lightening creams or injections as believed by many. He indicated that the celebrity only uses ordinary Nivea cream.
“Injections no! That’s too extreme but what I can say is just like most women, she takes care of her skin. She loves her skin but she doesn’t apply anything different from most women. You will be surprised if I tell u kuti she uses Nivea chaiyo mostly. As for Mai Bee, bleaching, very funny, Mai vanogeza and she puts on makeup that’s all.”
Spiked Online Media also had an opportunity to ask Madam Boss about how she feels about the recent passing on of a Zimbabwean socialite and businessman, Ginimbi.
With a heavy heart, Madam Boss expressed her sadness and how Genius Kadungure’s death touched her.
She described Ginimbi as an individual who was likeable and full of fun.
“First of all, I would like to say RIP my brother Ginimbi. It’s painful that I woke up that Sunday morning and rushed to the scene to make sure if it was true that he was gone and yes it was true. I was devastated, Ginimbi was a good man who had no issues with anyone but made a lot of people laugh. Everyone is talking about his passing on, he was loved by many even those that had never met him.”
“Really sad about his passing dai Mwari vatipa simba rekudanana because life is too short to hate each other, let’s live life like Ginimbi, he was full of funny,” she said.
Questioned on how best relationships between workmates can be maintained, Masungure said, “As a manager or superior, treat your workmates as shareholders and they put everything in whatever they do and collectively.”
Giving a word of advice to other upcoming artists and comedians, Madam Boss emphasised that it is of paramount importance to remain committed and focused on doing what they are good at being helped with passion of enjoying doing it.
“It’s not easy but I tell you success doesn’t come easily so keep pushing until you make it .If it’s your talent no one will strip it away from you.”
Some time ago, Madam Boss shared her vacation photographs together with her husband, (Mhofela). The couple was on vacation in Capetown, South Africa, a familiar scene in most romantic films.
On vacation, she flaunted her legs in a short summer dress, something her husband must have been definitely pleased about.
Madam boss was on record claiming that her husband liked her legs and her hair and was not interested in anything else and she is definitely not wasting any time in making sure her husband is satisfied.
Tyra Chikocho was born on April 10, 1985, at Harare Hospital. She is a beauty therapist by profession. She was married to Ngonidzaishe Munetswa on May 5, 2013. Together they are blessed with a daughter Mikayla Munetswa.
The energetic and determined lady also managed to work with big brands in Zimbabwe such as NetOne, Econet and Nyaradzo. She have a lot of projects she is working on and she does charity work. She is even paying school fees for some children in Madziva.
