Taps Mugadza | |
---|---|
Born | 1 April 1988 |
Origin | Harare, Zimbabwe |
Genres | Pop |
Instruments | Vocals, piano, guitar |
Years active | 2009–present |
Associated acts | Seal, Bruno Mars, Sam Smith |
Tapiwa "Taps" Mugadza, known professionally as Taps Mugadza or just Taps, is a Zimbabwean soul and pop singer. [1] [2]
Taps Mugadza was born in Harare, Zimbabwe and was found abandoned on the doorstep of an orphanage when he was two days old. [3]
He began singing and playing music when he was 15. He sang at church and he competed in the Zimbabwean Idol competition and placed third overall. [4]
Taps volunteered for the Christian mission organization, Rock of Africa, traveling with them in outreach programs and to dig wells in impoverished areas. The mission supported him on a trip to America in 2009 to find sponsors to secure his future in music. In May 2009, Taps was accepted as a student at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. [3] He graduated with the school's highest honor, 'Outstanding Artist' and both the head of his program and the president of the school said they had never had anyone as talented at Taps. [5]
In 2014 he was a guest on the TV series TakePart Live. He also performed live on the TV series EXTRA that same year. [6]
Taps writes and performs his own music and has worked with world renowned producers such as T-Collar, Moose, Pip Kembo, Boi-1da, and Quincy Jones.
Taps cover of Adele's "Hello" got Billboard recognition for one of the best 11 soul stirring covers, on the list. [7] Other notable covers include "Make You Feel My Love" (Adele), "Jealous" (Labrinth), "Hallelujah" (Leonard Cohen), "You Are the Reason" (Calum Scott) and "Someone You Loved" (Lewis Capaldi) amongst many.
His song "Sober" was used in episode 9 of season 14 of the American TV series Criminal Minds in the episode entitled "Broken Wing". [8]
The Delfonics are an American R&B/soul vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The Delfonics were most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their most notable hits include "La-La ", "Didn't I ", "Break Your Promise", "I'm Sorry", and "Ready or Not Here I Come ". Their hit songs were primarily written/composed and produced by lead vocalist and founding member William "Poogie" Hart and the musical instrumentation was arranged/conducted by songwriter and producer Thom Bell.
Ralph Anwan Glover is an American rapper and founding member of the D.C.-based go-go band "BackYard Band". Glover is also an actor, known for his portrayal of Slim Charles in the HBO crime-drama television series The Wire.
Leon G. Thomas III is an American actor, record producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and singer, who is currently signed to Columbia and Rostrum Records. He is best known for portraying Andre Harris on the Nickelodeon series Victorious (2010) and the singing voice of Tyrone from seasons 2–3 of The Backyardigans. After the show's cancellation, he sought success as a member of the production duo the Rascals, earning a producer credit on the 2014 Grammy Award winning album Love, Marriage & Divorce.
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins is an English singer and songwriter. She is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 120 million records. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a record deal with XL Recordings. In 2007, she received the Brit Award for Rising Star and won the BBC Sound of 2008 poll. Her debut album, 19, was released in 2008. It is certified 8× platinum in the UK and triple platinum in the US. The album contains her first song, "Hometown Glory", written when she was just 16, which is based on her home suburb of West Norwood in London. An appearance she made on Saturday Night Live in late 2008 boosted her career in the US. At the 2009 Grammy Awards, Adele won the awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo is an American singer who embarked on her music career contributing vocals and appearing in several music videos for R&B group B2K. At the time, she was known as B2K member Lil' Fizz's "cousin", though she is not actually related to him. It was used as a marketing tool, suggested by Sony and Epic Records to promote Aiko through the group and cultivate her own following. In 2003, Aiko was set to release her debut album, My Name Is Jhené, through her labels Sony, The Ultimate Group and Epic; however, the album was never released, with Aiko eventually asking to be released from the label in order to continue her education.
Gregory Allen Kurstin is an American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. He has won eight Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year, Non-Classical twice in 2017 and 2018.
English singer-songwriter Adele has released three studio albums, one video album, two extended plays, and 16 singles. Adele signed a record deal with XL in 2006, and released her debut album 19 in 2008. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart, and her single, "Chasing Pavements", reached number two on the UK Singles Chart. Another single, "Make You Feel My Love", reached number one in the Netherlands.
21 is the second studio album by English singer and songwriter Adele. It was released on 24 January 2011 in Europe by XL Recordings and on 22 February 2011 in North America by Columbia Records. The album was named after the age of the singer during its production. 21 shares the Motown/soul influences of her 2008 debut album 19, but was further inspired by the American country and Southern blues music to which she had been exposed during the North American leg of her 2008–09 tour An Evening with Adele. Composed in the aftermath of the singer's separation from her then partner, the album typifies the near dormant tradition of the confessional singer-songwriter in its exploration of heartbreak, introspection, and forgiveness.
"Rumour Has It" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele for her second studio album, 21 (2011). The song was written by Adele and Ryan Tedder; the latter is also the producer. Adele has stated that the song was not inspired by the media but it was aimed at her friends who believed things they heard about her in tabloids. It was released on 5 November 2011 as the fourth single from the album in the United Kingdom.
Thomas Peter Odell is an English singer-songwriter. He released his debut extended play, Songs from Another Love, in 2012 and won the BRITs Critics' Choice Award in early 2013. His debut studio album, Long Way Down, was issued on 24 June 2013. His second studio album, Wrong Crowd, was released on 10 June 2016. In October 2018, his third studio album, Jubilee Road was released.
Peter Mujuru, known by his mononym Mashasha, is a Zimbabwean musician, bass guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer based in the UK. He is widely regarded as an original and important new voice in African music. His debut studio album, Mashasha, which was released by Elegwa Music in 2011; it was acclaimed by critics internationally and won a Zimbabwe Music and Arts (ZIMAA) award for Best Album.
25 is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter Adele, released on 20 November 2015 by XL Recordings and Columbia Records. The album is titled as a reflection of her life and frame of mind at 25 years old and is termed a "make-up record". Its lyrical content features themes of Adele "yearning for her old self, her nostalgia", and "melancholia about the passage of time" according to an interview with the singer by Rolling Stone, as well as themes of motherhood and regret. In contrast to Adele's previous works, the production of 25 incorporated the use of electronic elements and creative rhythmic patterns, with elements of 1980s R&B and organs. Like when recording 21, Adele worked with producer and songwriter Paul Epworth and Ryan Tedder, along with new collaborations with Max Martin and Shellback, Greg Kurstin, Danger Mouse, the Smeezingtons, Samuel Dixon, and Tobias Jesso Jr.
"Hello" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele, released on 23 October 2015 by XL Recordings as the lead single from her third studio album, 25 (2015). Written by Adele with its producer, Greg Kurstin, "Hello" is a piano ballad with soul influences, and lyrics that discuss themes of nostalgia and regret. Upon release, the song garnered critical acclaim, with reviewers comparing it favourably to Adele's previous works and praised its lyrics, production and Adele's vocal performance. It was recorded in Metropolis Studios, London.
Jordan Mackenzie Smith is an American singer, songwriter, and musician from Harlan, Kentucky. Smith began singing in his church choir and continued through his college education at Lee University.
The Brit Award for British Single is an award given by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), an organisation which represents record companies and artists in the United Kingdom. The accolade is presented at the Brit Awards, an annual celebration of British and international music. The winners and nominees are determined by the Brit Awards voting academy with over one-thousand members, which comprise record labels, publishers, managers, agents, media, and previous winners and nominees. The award was first presented in 1977 as British Single of the Year. In 1983 and 1984 awarded as non-competitive highest-selling single.
Busiswa Gqulu, known mononymously as Busiswa or Busi, is a South African singer-songwriter and poet. Born in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa, she gained public recognition for her feature on DJ Zinhle's song, "My Name Is", after being discovered by Kalawa Jazmee's CEO Oskido.
Moonshine is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter and former Issues lead vocalist Tyler Carter, released on February 1, 2019, on Velocity and Rise Records. The album is a follow-up to Carter's debut extended play (EP), Leave Your Love. It was produced by long time collaborator Lophiile, Medasin, Brandon Paddock, Femdouble, Maui Black, and SmarterChild. The album was recorded in 2018 and was written over the course of three years, between 2016 and 2018. The singer continues his unique sound of soul, R&B, and electronic music with elements of country and pop. A companion extended play, Moonshine Acoustic, was released in June 2020.
Diego Tinotenda Chikombeka, professionally known as Diego Tryno is a Zimbabwean urban contemporary and hip-hop musician. He is also known locally by stage names including "Mr. Coffee Please" and "The Future Billionaire".
Stewart Nyamayaro is a prominent Zimbabwean socialite and music promoter. He rose to prominence from his contribution to the growth of the Zimdancehall genre.
Passion Java is a Zimbabwean-American Christian charismatic preacher, socialite, entrepreneur, music promoter and author.