Music videos usually feature women in them. In some cases if they are not artists themselves they are part of the backing vocalists or maybe dancers. In the twenty-first century it is rare to find a music video that does not have scanty dressed women, unless it is a gospel one. Music videos outside the gospel genre are characterised by sexual dances. What is a course of concern is the fact that some artists take their female dancers to a school to shoot their video. The school itself already forms a portrayal of students in it.
Quite a number of artists in Zimbabwe have used this strategy of using a school setting for their music videos. Examples are: Sandra Ndebele, Iyasa and Jah Prayzah. The latter is one’s cause of concern. Mukudzei Mukumbe, popularly known as Jah Prayzah is known for his high level of creativity in his music videos, such as Maria, Chinamira, and Eriza just to dwell on a few. Jah Prayzah is good with incorporating drama, conflict and humour in producing a video that is worth a person’s time in watching it. His video, Eriza has caught the Zimbabwean public by storm because of its level of humour.
Although Eriza is popular with Zimbabweans, do Zimbabweans take time to notice the manner in which the girl is being portrayed in? Lets go step by step in highlighting what the video is about. As observed in the video, Eriza is a school girl dressed in a short uniform. She draws so much attention to herself because of her looks. Every guy wants to be with her. Although she is good-looking, she is a dancer. Her popularity goes beyond the school because she has been seen dancing at the market square where there are so many males. Whenever she takes it to the dance floor everyone stops whatever it is they are or should be doing and concentrates on the goddess of dance.
The school is one venue where Eriza is seen entertaining a group of students during a time that appears to be their free period. A teacher interrupts Eriza‘s dance by telling her that she should be taken to the headmaster’s office as what she is doing is unexceptable.
Eriza is a representation of high school girls. From one’s observation Eriza uses her body to be noticed at school and outside the school premise. She poses a threat to the school going girls. A threat of sexual abuse. The fact that she is in a school uniform acts as a call to males. It appears as if it is an encouragement for older men to date school going girls.
Maybe Jah Praizah’s motivation might be rooted from the international arena where there is a high usage of the school setting in music videos. Examples include: Britney Spears: One more time and Iggy Azalea ft Charli XCX: Fancy. In some instances, one observes that theses videos shows drug abuse and too much partying as opposed to learning. Only the geeks are the individuals who are portrayed as the people who are keen to learn.
Zimbabwe should be careful on the grounds that it is treading on. Child marriages have not completely been wiped out, and music artists should not just produce videos without looking at the way in which people have been portrayed in. The nation can not afford to be having sexually suggestive videos which may stand in the way of the eradication of sexual abuse.
Dudu's Corner 
The sexualisation of young women is sadly a worldwide problem.
But, as they say, sex sells, and money is, for too many people, the god they worship.
I have no answer to offer, just sympathy.
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I wouldn’t have said it any better. In as much as women tend to be objectified, I don’t see the need for them “Music Producers” to associate such sexual bahaviours to a schooling environment. That was my argument when I uploaded the post. Thank you for the comment. I appreciate such feedback.
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My pleasure, Duduzile
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