Online Reporter
Obey Musiwa
Youth Interactive Correspondent
At a time when social media feeds are increasingly dominated by controversy, conflict and negativity, the Love Faith Festival is seeking to give young people something different — a space to celebrate, create, connect and have fun without compromising their values.
Now in its third edition, the festival is positioning itself as more than an entertainment event, using music, poetry, comedy and faith to create a positive cultural alternative for the youth.
Organisers believe that in an environment where controversy and shock value often attract the biggest attention, young people need platforms that celebrate talent while encouraging hope, family and community.
Speaking to Zimpapers yesterday, Love and Faith Festival director Bryan Kadengu, popularly known as Bryan K, said the festival was deliberately creating a platform where faith could be expressed through contemporary culture.
“Faith is not distant from everyday life, it can live in our music, our poetry and our comedy.
“Artists can build companies, create employment, and take ownership of how their work is presented and marketed,” he said.
Kadengu added that the festival was also designed to challenge the perception that faith-based entertainment has to follow one particular sound or format.
“Faith does not have one sound or one style — it is colourful, diverse, and alive.
“When we perform here, we are not just entertaining; we are reminding people that love and faith still matter,” he said. The 2026 edition, running at the end of September under the theme ‘Faith in Colour’, will bring together established and emerging voices from Zimbabwe’s contemporary faith and cultural scene.
The line-up includes The Unveiled, Vocal Base, In Accord, Tariro neGitare, Cleo Arie, Asaph Afrika and Bryan K, alongside emerging acts Sekuru Ro and Crowned.
The festival will be hosted by Becky K and Tinotenda Lebohang, with audiences expected to be taken through a programme combining live music, poetry, comedy and moments of faith and reflection.
For Kadengu, however, the real measure of the festival goes beyond the performances on stage. He said the event was about creating an environment where young people could see that entertainment and personal values did not have to exist on opposite sides.
“This is a space where families, creatives, and faith communities can all feel at home. Guiding audiences through moments of laughter, music, and reflection reminds us that community is built in celebration,” he said.
He said the creative sector could also provide young people with opportunities to turn talent into sustainable careers.
Rather than simply waiting for opportunities, artists can develop businesses around their music, performances, production, branding and other creative skills. Kadengu said this was particularly important for the younger generation, who are growing up in an increasingly digital environment where fame can sometimes be driven by controversy rather than substance.
“Too often, platforms thrive on controversy and shock value, this festival proves there is another way.
“We are showing the next generation that creativity can be uplifting, inspiring, and rooted in community,” he said.
The festival therefore comes at a time when the entertainment industry is being challenged to do more than provide escapism, with events increasingly expected to create meaningful spaces for young people to interact, discover talent and build networks. Through its combination of entertainment and values, Love Faith Festival hopes to demonstrate that positive messaging does not have to come at the expense of excitement.
With the 2026 edition bringing together music, comedy, poetry and different generations of audiences, organisers are hoping Faith in Colour will become a celebration of the many ways Zimbabwe’s young people can express themselves while remaining connected to their communities.
For the organisers, the message is simple: there is room for young people to celebrate, create and dream without negativity having to dominate the conversation.
