Online Reporter
Langelihle Dube, [email protected]
Garden of House has grown into far more than a date on Bulawayo’s entertainment calendar. Since its emergence in 2022, the house music and lifestyle movement has built a distinct culture around music, fashion, food, art and community, creating an experience that feels unmistakably Bulawayo.
Its latest edition, The Secret Garden, carried that identity into a new venue, bringing together a carefully curated mix of local and regional talent while giving patrons an experience that extended well beyond the dance floor.
The change of scenery from the usual ZITF Arena to Criterion Leisure Centre in the leafy suburb of Burnside appeared to inject fresh energy into the event. As the Garden filled up, it became apparent that music would only be one part of the attraction.
Fashion was prominent, with Garden Boys and House Girlz sporting pieces from Bulawayo-born brands, while food stalls and electronics vendors provided additional attractions. The mix reinforced Garden of House’s evolution from a DJ showcase into a lifestyle platform that brings different aspects of the city’s creative economy together.
But music remained its heartbeat. The afternoon programme featured locals TJ Sol, Mdast Khalifa, Toxic Chemical, DJ Nashe and Young DLC, providing a strong local and Zimbabwean foundation before the evening’s headline performances took over.
TJ Sol opened the musical journey before Mdast Khalifa and Toxic Chemical steadily built the atmosphere. Toxic Chemical, whose sound draws from Afro House, Afro Tech and Amapiano, has become one of the names associated with Bulawayo’s growing electronic music scene.
DJ Nashe added another dimension, bringing experience from the Gweru entertainment circuit and connecting two of Zimbabwe’s nightlife communities.
Young DLC was another notable addition. The Harare-born DJ and producer has nearly a decade of commercial production experience, with credits spanning major African television and entertainment projects. He has worked with artists including Patoranking, Olamide, AKA, Yemi Alade and Nasty C, among others.
The afternoon acts laid the foundation, but as the sun began to disappear, the Garden shifted into another gear. South African Kitchen Mess stepped up and immediately pushed the experience beyond the conventional DJ set. His greatest strength was his hybrid performance style. Rather than simply remaining behind the decks, he incorporates vocals into his sets, moving between DJing and live performance and giving his shows an unpredictable quality. At
The Secret Garden, the approach worked. The crowd loosened up and the energy rose noticeably, with his performance feeling less like a transition between acts and more like the moment the Garden properly transformed into a party.
From there, the DJs appeared to enter an unofficial battle for the crowd.
There was no formal competition, but each act seemed determined to respond to the performance before it by raising the standard. DJ Ash T was next, once again demonstrating why he remains one of the trusted names in Bulawayo’s house music scene. He balanced crowd favourites with exclusives, giving patrons familiar moments while keeping the set fresh. His understanding of the Garden audience was evident, with his selections doing the talking and maintaining the momentum.
Then came Botswana’s Robotic OFC. The DJ and producer brought a different intensity, delivering a set packed with Afro-house and Afro-tech energy. At one point, a beat triggered an eruption from the crowd, demonstrating how quickly a DJ can change the temperature of an outdoor audience. Yet one of his most memorable moments came after the music stopped. Rather than immediately disappearing backstage, Robotic OFC stepped forward to thank the audience, creating a brief but genuine connection between performer and crowd.
Then came the moment many Garden Boys and House Girlz had been waiting for. South Africa’s Funky Qla was arguably the most anticipated act of the day, and his arrival received the response expected from an artist whose music has travelled extensively across Southern Africa. He opened with Umkhuleko, his Afro-house collaboration with Sykes, Sino Msolo and Khaya Mthethwa, with Angel Ndlela also credited on the released version. The opening immediately connected with the audience. And when the familiar “Dlala Funky Qla” tag came through the speakers, the crowd responded each time. His performance demonstrated why Garden of House continues to bring regional and international acts into its programming.
Garden of House had saved Kotwane Hikwa for last. MC Bryce DJ Klasiq called for a complete blackout before introducing the Bulawayo favourite. For a few seconds, darkness took over the venue. Then phone flashlights began lighting up across the Garden as the crowd waited for Kotwane Hikwa to step behind the decks.
Kotwane Hikwa has grown from a young DJ playing small local sets into one of Bulawayo’s respected house music selectors. He was crowned Outstanding Club DJ at the 2025 Bulawayo Arts Awards and has continued building a reputation for technically sharp and creative performances. At The Secret Garden, he showed why.
His song selection was on point, his transitions were smooth and his use of effects added another layer to the performance. Rather than simply moving from one record to another, Kotwane Hikwa treated his set almost like a live composition, manipulating sounds and vocals to create something that felt specific to the moment.
One standout moment came when he played his remix of Drake’s Shabang, giving the crowd another unexpected crossover while keeping them locked into the set. It was a fitting close to the official programme.
After Kotwane Hikwa’s final song, the Garden Boys and House Girlz simply moved on. Groups of friends headed into various local joints, carrying the energy of The Secret Garden into Bulawayo’s wider nightlife. In that sense, The Secret Garden never really had a final song.
The venue closed, but the night continued elsewhere.
However, the move away from the ZITF Arena represented one of the biggest changes to the Garden of House experience. The arena had become closely associated with the event. Criterion Leisure Centre, by comparison, offered a different environment. The venue felt more intimate and allowed the event to lean further into its garden-inspired aesthetic. However, the move also exposed some of the practical challenges of staging a large event at a new venue.
As The Secret Garden came to an end, traffic around the venue became a major talking point. A large number of vehicles attempted to leave at roughly the same time, resulting in congestion and frustration among some patrons who struggled to navigate the venue’s exit.
Videos and posts circulating after the event highlighted the problem, making traffic management one of the less successful aspects of an otherwise vibrant day. It was an important reminder that as Garden of House continues to grow, logistics will have to grow with it.
Away from the entertainment, the event also continued its “Planting More Than the Music” donation drive, an initiative aimed at supporting vulnerable children in Bulawayo. The campaign calls on patrons to donate clothes, sanitary products and other essential goods, with contributions directed towards children in need and children’s homes.
