London-based Zim musician Charisse C brings global sound back to her roots

Mbulelo Mpofu,Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub

ZIMBABWEAN-BORN and London-based DJ, producer, and singer Charisse C is set to make an emotional return to her roots this May/June, with shows lined up in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Eswatini.

Known for her captivating and genre-bending sets, Charisse C is scheduled to perform at the Africa Rising Music Conference and MTN Bushfire, in addition to several studio sessions supported by the PRS Foundation’s International Showcase Fund.

One of the highlights of her tour is her Harare show on Africa Day (May 25), a symbolic homecoming on a day that celebrates African unity and culture. The venue for the performance will be announced in due course.

Charisse C has cemented herself as a leading force in South Africa’s electronic music scene, particularly in globalised sounds like Amapiano, 3-Step, and Gqom. Her distinctive sound fuses the raw energy of Southern African rhythms with the experimental edge of London’s underground, earning her critical acclaim and a growing global fanbase.

With roots in both Zimbabwe and South Africa and an upbringing in the UK, her sonic palate is soulful, bass-heavy, and profoundly curious, a reflection of her multicultural identity. A former music journalist, Charisse C views herself as both a vessel and a storyteller, using music as her canvas.

She’s the creative mind behind #AbantuNoSignal, a bi-weekly radio show that explores Southern African music and narratives. What began as a tribute to her homes, Zimbabwe and South Africa, has grown to encompass sounds from Zambia, Namibia, and Mozambique, among others.

Her international accolades are many: she has been described by Mixmag as “building bridges between continents” with her spiritual storytelling, and radio icon Benji B has hailed her as “an authority on the genre”. Charisse C has graced iconic platforms such as Boiler Room, BBC Radio 1, BBC 1Xtra, NTS, Rinse FM, and No Signal.

She has also twice sold out her signature night, ‘Abantu’ at Village Underground in London.

As Charisse C returns home, her Zimbabwean fans can expect a performance that is as energetic as it is intimate, offering creative variations of Amapiano and more, all imbued with her characteristic intentionality and flair. – Follow on X: @MbuleloMpofu