Chronicle Editor
Sipepisiwe Moyo, [email protected]
Bulawayo artistes have received an early Christmas gift with the opening of Kulture Studios, a new recording hub offering free studio sessions for an entire week.
Located in the heart of the city, between 14th Avenue and Parirenyatwa Street, the studio is welcoming both up-and-coming and established artistes to create and collaborate without financial barriers. The well-furnished studio is creating a space where talent can thrive and new stars can be born.
Kulture Studios is the result of a partnership between the Mthuli Ncube Foundation, MultiChoice Zimbabwe, Ja’Dijo Restaurant, and Kulture Studio’s chief executive officer, Qhelokuhle Dube.
The launch has also brought top Zimbabwean producers T Man and Mount Zion from Harare to work alongside local talents. Additionally, Harare-based artiste Shona Boy has joined the initiative, opening doors for collaborations with Bulawayo’s creatives.
On the first day of the offer, artistes thronged the studio, eager to take advantage of the opportunity. Speaking about the vision behind Kulture Studios, Qhelokuhle Dube said: “Our goal is to empower Bulawayo artistes, giving them a platform to produce music and network with fellow creatives. This initiative fosters collaborations, cultural exchange, and unity among artistes from across the country.”
He said the studio is open to all music genres. So far, the studio has welcomed Zimdancehall, Hip-Hop, and Imbube artistes, with notable work being done on a Naija beat by producer Mr Brown.
Collaborations have also begun taking shape, such as one between Bulawayo artiste Ma9ine and Superman from Gutu, known for the trending hit Pfira Dandy.
The initiative also offers many up-and-coming artistes their first taste of a professional studio environment, helping them gain confidence and learn the ropes of music production.
Kulture Studios is more than just a recording hub. The facility includes a media production section, addressing the city’s growing demand for music videos.
“With professional equipment now available, our next step is to set affordable prices for music videos, enabling artistes to pair their audio with high-quality visuals. We aim to provide solutions to the challenges Bulawayo artists face,” said Dube.
In addition to music production, the studio plans to introduce podcasts and programmes focused on artistes’ mental health, recognising the psychological challenges many creatives face in the industry.
As an added motivation, recorded tracks will be uploaded to YouTube, and the top three songs with the most views will receive appreciation tokens.
“We are setting an example by offering not just opportunities but also tangible support. It’s time for the community to embrace local artistes and offer constructive criticism to help them grow,” said Dube.
He added that the ground-breaking initiative is not just about recording music; it’s about putting Bulawayo artistes on the map and ensuring their voices resonate both locally and internationally.
Online Reporter