Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
ALICK Macheso’s band members are focusing on their farming projects during the traditional January break.
Orchestra Mberikwazvo is undoubtedly one of the biggest groups in Zimbabwe, known for their nationwide, regional and international tours.
The outfit deserves this break, considering their demanding schedule, which sees them holding at least three shows per week.
Resting in January has been part of the band’s schedule, allowing them to recharge their vocal batteries.
Tichaona Makahamadze, the head of publicity at Orchestra Mberikwazvo, told Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub that they have planned to make the most of their annual hiatus.
“Most of the band members at Orchestra Mberikwazvo are farmers, which has become their backup plan over the years,” he shared.
“Rather than idly resting in January, they will be busy tending to their plots. Many of them are engaged in tobacco farming, which requires a lot of attention.”
Makahamadze also revealed that Macheso strongly opposes laziness.
“At Orchestra Mberikwazvo, we always encourage one another to work hard and not put all our eggs in one basket. This is why we motivate our band members to find a backup plan.”
Macheso, who averages 120 shows per year, has also allowed his band members to meet their families in January.
“As you know, we are a busy band that holds a lot of shows, but there comes a time when we need to be with our families. Our band members will meet their families in January since we have shelved shows unless something urgent comes up.
“The nature of our job can be tricky, as we don’t have enough time to be with our families. We also travel a lot during tours, but in January, we give our band members enough time to be with their loved ones and friends,” he pointed out.
Makahamadze noted that they will hold rehearsals to ensure that they remain in shape.
“We have designed a special programme where we will hold a series of rehearsals.
“Of course, we won’t be rehearsing daily, but we will ensure that everyone remains in good condition. All our staff are happy with the holiday, as we want to give fans time to recover from the festive season hangover,” he stated.
He added:
“In 2026, we have a lot of shows and tours coming up to cater to our fans nationwide. We always go out of our way to ensure that fans are happy, as we don’t want monotony.
“For us, each and every show should bring new experiences, and we don’t want to be predictable, to say the least. As the most followed sungura outfit, we have a lot in store for our fans.”
Over the years, January has proven to be an eventful month for musicians who might be lying idle.
Inactivity in January has led some band members to mischief.
This presents a significant challenge for Makahamadze at Orchestra Mberikwazvo, as he continues to keep the members focused.
“We are very much aware that a lot of crazy things happen during this annual break, but we always stay in touch as a band.
“Aside from our WhatsApp group, we also do home visits to check on each band member, ensuring that the bond continues. When one of us encounters problems, we fight in each other’s corner and quickly help one another,” he stated.
He continued: “We are going to hold our first show on the last weekend of January, but we are yet to confirm the bookings we have. We are grateful to the fans, sponsors, and promoters we worked with in the recently concluded 2025 season. As a band, we can’t thank God enough for everything He has done for us.”
