Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
MBIRA princess Hope Masike is a humble yet gifted diva on home turf, who is also making strides on the international arena.
Down-to-earth and versatile, her fairytale continues to blaze a trail of success with each passing day.
With Culture Month now in full swing, she has vowed to show her true colours by collaborating with some of the sub-region’s showbiz giants.
After demonstrating her other talents as a storyteller, writer and poet, many know her as a mbira player — an art that has endeared her to fans.
On May 22, she will certainly demonstrate that consistency and a willingness to learn from other musical cultures have kept her relevant.
She will be sharing the stage with the South African duo Steve and Bokani Dyer.
Josh Meck and Tendai “Tendex” Madzviti are also part of the celebration.
The diva, known for her groundbreaking collaborations with international stars, firmly believes that this approach is yielding positive results.
“I guess it — consistency and synergy — keeps one learning from other cultures and evolving. It also introduces you to new audiences that you might not have had the opportunity to interact with,” Masike told the Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub.
While Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi was close to the Dyers — Steve and Bokani — Masike, who has defied the odds and charmed them, could not hide his elation after being afforded this special opportunity to exchange notes with them.
“It is always wonderful sharing music cultures with musicians from other countries. I have worked with Steve and Bokani Dyer before, and beautiful music was made. So, I feel very excited to be sharing the stage with these two again.”
With all eyes on her following the deaths of iconic mbira divas Mbuya Stella Chiweshe and Chiwoniso Maraire, Masike has carried millions of the world’s expectations to keep the fire burning.
She also revealed one of the secrets which has made her one of Zimbabwe’s finest divas.
“One of the secrets is to keep trying. When it’s easy, when it’s hard, just keep pushing the best you can,” she confidently asserted.
Masike, an arts administrator in her own right, is famed for championing collaborations and cultural exchange programmes with regional and international acts.
She does not take the May 22 affair lightly since it comes a day after the official launch of Culture Month in Bulawayo by the President.
Excitement is evident as she gears up for yet another experience where culture will be celebrated.
After all, she will be sharing the stage with two powerhouses of Southern African jazz, supported by an array of local talent.
Her concert, dubbed “Strings, Horns & Beyond,” is no doubt a unique celebration of the live music journey through sound and culture. She is no newcomer when it comes to improvisation and delivering quality music that touches the hearts of millions — something she has been doing for years.
Over the years, Masike has collaborated with some of Africa’s music stalwarts such as Salif Keita, the late Mtukudzi, Steve Dyer, and Louis Mhlanga.
According to her official biography, she has several international tour credits, including performing in Southern Africa, Asia, Europe, and the west coast of America.
Her versatile music approach has seen her venture into different music collaborations of note, such as with the AfroNordic outfit Monoswezi, the Southern African collaboration Mahube, and the Austrian-Zimbabwean collaboration named “Kunzwana.”
She has also collaborated with Zimbabwean alternative hip-hop outfit The Monkey Nuts and American horn band The Hunter tones, among many others.
In the early years of her career, she was part of the Norwegian cultural exchange programme Umoja CFC, which comprised Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, and Norway; and the Onebeat music exchange programme, which comprised numerous different countries, including Zimbabwe and the US.
With the Culture Month celebrations upon us, Masike is no doubt going to make an impression on the local showbiz scene.
After all, she has nothing to prove.
