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Tafadzwa Zimoyo Entertainment Editor
South Africa had Ndlovu Youth Choir and Zimbabwe was represented by In Total Band.
Those who attended the just-ended Stanbic Jacaranda Music Festival closing ceremony on Sunday can testify that when it comes to creativity and art in Africa, it is in safe hands if the youths are supported well.
A lot has already been said and written about the previous performances at the festival, but some music analysts and critics have credited the performance by Ndlovu Youth Choir as one of the major highlights, if not the best.
The group, which has become one of the world’s most treasured, had a good day in office at the festival.
Just like one of the group members said, “We felt like we are home”, they displayed their energetic and vibrant moves.
Yes, they kept everyone on their feet as they did various renditions of some of the yesteryear hits such as “Shosholoza”, “Africa Hey”, “Shape of You”, and “Higher and Higher”.
The crowd couldn’t get enough of them as they brought a vibe to the festival.
They gave fans value for money and were happy to perform in Zimbabwe for the first time.
Well, they managed to fall in love and created relationships with young and old fans.
The highlight of the day was when the Ndlovu Youth Choir, an America Got Talent finalist, paid tribute to the late Dr Oliver Mtukudzi as they did a rendition of his popular song “Neria”, to the applaud of many.
They set the stage on fire to the extent that the next artistes were feeling the heat.
Luckily, it was Ammara Brown and Ammara will always be Ammara.
She performed her hit songs like “Mukoko”, “What you Want”, and “Bhachura”. It was dance, dance and dance.
And she won the hearts of many.
Yes, local is lekker and of course, the musicians came, saw and conquered with their scintillating performances.
Still on the topic of youthful groups, for the Zimbabwean side, there was the ‘In Total Band’ which performed on Sunday afternoon.
Straight and fresh from the United Kingdom where they were staging a show, the group proved their mantle as they dedicated their 45 performance to the “legends, yesteryear” musicians.
It was a sing-along throughout despite limited time.
Reggae artiste Emmanuel “Mannex” Motsi also put on a scintillating display.
Backed by the ZimReggaestra Band, it was evident the group had come well prepared as they never missed a key.
Mannex performed his compositions and cover versions.
He won the hearts of the multi-ethnic crowd with yesteryear hits such as “Munhu Mutema”, “Rose” and “Tsamba”.
He sent the crowd into delirium when he played Bunton’s huge hit “Buried Alive”.
Then there was Alexio Kawara, who rekindled his love with fans as he played his hit songs such as “Shaina” and “Amai” among others.
The urban groover was at his usual best.
On the line-up were Dino Mudondo and Willom Tight, with the powerful duo putting up a good performance.
With everything happening, disc jockey Chiwedaar was top-notch during the music interlude as he entertained fans with music, be it yesteryear hip-hop, gospel, urban groove or Zimdancehall.
Another youthful performer, Tammy Moyo, showcased her prowess as the next big diva in the country.
Apart from music, the festival was marked with fashion and food as it was more like a fiesta.
Kudos to the organisers for coming up with such a concept. Many had thought such shows had ended with the death of the Harare International Festival of Arts (HIFA).
But boom, Stanbic Jacaranda Music Festival (SJMF) was born.
Since its inception, the music festival has never disappointed as it brought local, regional and international performers together in the name of music.
The festival brought more light when it comes to empowering and developing the music industry as it started with seminars and workshops.
The festival is improving yearly, with its stage work meeting international standards.
Fans keep fingers crossed on who will perform next year as the organisers have already announced the dates for the next edition.
Online Reporter