Online Reporter
Langelihle Dube [email protected]
The second edition of Bhila Live in Concert event, which took place on Friday, proved to be more than a showcase of one artiste’s catalogue as musicians from across Matabeleland converged at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, offering a packed venue a vivid taste of the region’s diverse musical identity.
The concert brought together artistes with roots in places such as Plumtree, Gokwe, and Gwanda alongside Bulawayo-based musicians, creating a programme that reflected the movement of talent between the city and surrounding communities.
Audiences of different ages turned out in force to support local music, with familiar songs repeatedly prompting sing-alongs and transforming the concert into a shared celebration.
The show opened with Aphiwe and Sobancane, the Maskandi duo whose musical journey began in Zimnyama Village near Plumtree. The pair rose to prominence after their song Inhliziyo Yami gained attention in 2021 and have since built a following in Zimbabwe and South Africa.
The duo performed some of the songs from their upcoming third album titled Funda Ukwamukela, giving fans a glimpse of what they can expect from their body of work.
Their appearance was fitting for a concert that quietly underscored how much of the music associated with Bulawayo is also being shaped beyond the city’s borders.
Vusumuzi Mnkandla followed on stage, bringing a story that extends well beyond music.
The musician and producer is also known, alongside his partner and content creator Thando Tshuma, for their extraordinary cycling journeys across Africa.
The couple completed a 13 300km journey through 11 countries in 2024-25 and have continued documenting their adventures.
The highlight of Mnkandla’s acoustic performance came when his wife, Thando, joined him on stage and backed him with dance.
Butholezwe followed after Mnkandla, as he kept the momentum going with his hit song, Kwelizayo, before performing his newer single titled TTI. The track has been gaining attention, including at the Makokoba
Music Festival, where it emerged as a crowd favourite.
The energy rose to another level when Kaykid Umfanomsotho and Fly took the stage as they introduced themselves with the song, Amawala. The audience began leaving their seats, moving to the grooves and turning the performance into one of the livelier moments of the opening acts.
Kaykid’s appearance also carried a personal connection to Bhila’s journey. The Gwanda-bred musician previously collaborated with Bhila on Emaweni, which was nominated for Outstanding Song of the Year at the 2025 Bulawayo Arts Awards.
Then came Fab G Mshana KaGogo, who opened with Salibonani, before moving into fan favourite, Imali Yesgweja.
A slight technical hiccup at the beginning of his set did little to derail the performance. However, once settled, Fab G had the crowd on its feet, with fans singing along word for word to the song that was crowned Skyz Metro’s 2025 Song of the Year.
But ultimately, the evening belonged to Bhila.
As the live band prepared the stage, anticipation rippled through the audience before the man of the moment finally walked out.
He opened with Ithemba Lami Livela Kuwe, a song rooted in prayer, before moving into the unreleased uMaNdlovu and then weaving through his catalogue.
What followed was less a conventional concert than a conversation between Bhila and an audience that clearly knew his music. Familiar songs became mass sing-alongs, while spontaneous dance circles broke out across the venue.
Bhila also invited the night’s other performers back onto the stage, transforming the concert into a collective celebration of the artistes who had helped build its atmosphere.
The performance reflected an artiste increasingly at ease in the live environment.
Ahead of the concert, Bhila had said his previous solo show taught him that audiences were willing to support local artistes, while subsequent performances reinforced his belief that people wanted to experience him fully on stage.
That confidence was evident in Bulawayo.
His 2025 debut solo concert at the Bulawayo Theatre sold out all 290 tickets, marking an important early milestone in his career.
This time, however, Bhila appeared less interested in proving that he could fill a room and more focused on demonstrating what he could do once he had one.
For an artiste who describes himself as “a messenger with a special gift of music” the concert offered a compelling demonstration of that philosophy.
It was Bhila’s night, but it was also a reminder that the sound surrounding Bulawayo is bigger than the city itself.
