Tanzanian songbird Zuhura Othman alias Zuchu is the talk of the town after she turned down a mouth-watering endorsement deal to protect her Islamic faith.
The ‘Sukari’ hitmaker would have been laughing all the way to the bank in an endorsement deal with an alcohol brand worth a reported Ksh12 million.
In an interview, Zuchu explained her decision saying she found it hard to endorse a product that she doesn’t consume.
“Nisingekuwa nawatendea haki wale watu. Unapotangaza kinywaji ni lazima ukinywe na mimi sio mtumiaji wa vileo. Hiyo dili ilikuwa kama robo bilioni,” she said.
(It would not have been fair to the client. When you advertise a drink, you have to consume it. I do not consume alcohol, the deal was worth Tsh250 million)
The Wasafi signee also mentioned that her mother, legendary Taarab singer Khadija Kopa, had warned her against promoting such products.
Her manager, Wasafi Music’s Sallam SK, noted that despite turning down that deal, Zuchu is still an international brand and her fees have gone up.
“The world has changed right now, and as the demand for her services goes up, so do the charges,” he said.
“That is why we have been marketing her widely. Right now she charges Ksh2 million for shows outside Tanzania.”
Sallam noted that Wasafi used approximately Ksh10 million to publicize her brand and it is only fair to charge a fee that resonates with her brand.
