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Sunday Life Correspondent, Rumbidzai Mbewe
BULAWAYO has been known as the hub of entertainment but for the past years this status has been deteriorating slowly.
Many artistes have been complaining of being marginalised with priority being given to artistes from across the border.
However, promoters in the city have taken time to listen to the complaints being raised by Bulawayo musicians and they have organised a carnival that will feature the crème de la crème artistes of the City of Kings and Queens.
The show dubbed as the Bulawayo Music Carnival will be held at Hartsfield Tshisa Nyama on 4 June. In an interview, the public relations officer of the show, Babongile Sikhonjwa said the carnival was all about uplifting Bulawayo music as well as artistes. He said a lot of complaints have been coming in from local artistes and this was their opportunity to win the hearts of their fans.
“We are giving our artistes the platform to showcase whatever talent they have. They have been complaining that promoters are bringing in a lot of artistes from South Africa while sidelining them. This show therefore is especially dedicated to them,” he said.
He said the carnival was also designed to make artistes mix and mingle as well as watch each other perform. He said artistes will be given the same treatment; the stage will be set the same way as for foreign artistes.
“Everything that our local artistes have envied will be done for them on that day. We are assured that people in Bulawayo will get to see and appreciate the talent produced in our lovely city. We are working with the best event management companies and so people should look forward for good results,” he said.
One of the artistes who will be performing at this carnival, Nkue Nkala now known as Khuliyo said the event will be the only way to measure local talent.
“We need to create our own local heroes from the music industry; there are many artistes in our industry who deserve that status. It’s high time people appreciated local talent and it would be nice to know that people have their own local heroes in the music industry,” he said.
Khuliyo said the music industry in Bulawayo was not dead but all that is needed is the support from locals. He said not much attention is being given to artistes in Bulawayo the same as dancehall music is being done.
Some of the artistes that will be part of the carnival are Kwabatsha, Umdumo Wesizwe, Iyasa, Antivirus, Alaina and Futurelove, among others.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter