Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena, Sunday Life Reporter
BULAWAYO musicians Bhila, Lemoniq and Maluka have joined forces with producer Apollo Soule to create Ubuntu, an Extended Play (EP) born out of the Music Connects Africa 2026 Cohort, a programme supported by KAY Media Africa in partnership with the British Council and the Swiss Embassy.
The project, with three tracks including Intombi Elobuntu, Shona Malanga and Beatar Mangethe, explores themes of cultural pride, hope, love, community healing and togetherness, while bringing together different sounds and creative approaches.
The Music Connects Africa programme brought together eight groups, with three drawn from Bulawayo and five from Harare.
Groups one to seven focused on music production and recording, with the projects now at various stages of release, while the eighth group received training in event management, equipping creatives with practical skills beyond music production.
For the Ubuntu project, the team held a music camp at The Oasis from April 22 to 25, where they were equipped with a dedicated music studio to develop and record their work.
Bekezela Ncube, who managed the creative process for the project, said the programme began in March with online lessons on SoCreative, followed by a series of master classes.
“The groupings were done by the workshop facilitators from KAY Media Africa. I was tasked to manage a group comprising Bhila, Maluka and Lemoniq.
“This was an exciting group because the artistes have some live elements and handmade music in their digital sound. The producer, Apollo Soule, was different because his sound is rooted in House
Music and Afro Digital, but he did an amazing job blending with the team,” said Ncube.
Ncube said managing the project was a rewarding experience, particularly because the musicians were experienced, disciplined and understood what was expected of them.
“Working with my group on the Ubuntu EP has been collaborative, disciplined and purpose-driven. Through Music Connects Africa, we learned to blend creativity with professionalism.
“The artistes were open to feedback and fully connected to the Ubuntu message of hope, pride, love and togetherness.
“Together, we focused on making radio-ready and performance-ready tracks that speak about interconnectedness and collective humanity. The three tracks celebrate cultural pride, hope, community healing and togetherness,” he said.
Beyond the music, Ncube believes the programme has provided the participating creatives with valuable knowledge that can help them navigate the industry more professionally.
He said initiatives of this nature were important because talent, on its own, was not enough to build a sustainable career in the creative industries.
“It’s important for creatives with potential like these to be empowered through such workshops because talent alone cannot build a sustainable career.
“Through Music Connects Africa, the workshops transform raw and upcoming talent into professional, career-ready creatives by giving them business, branding and industry skills,” Ncube said.
With Ubuntu, the Bulawayo creatives have not only produced a body of music, but have also demonstrated the value of collaboration between artistes with different musical identities.
