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Jonathan Mbiriyamveka Entertainment Reporter
At least 10 groups from all the provinces in Zimbabwe will this Saturday compete for top honours at this year’s Chibuku Road To Fame talent search scheduled for the Glamis Stadium.Hosted by Delta Beverages and the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, the much anticipated 2014 finals of the Chibuku Road to Fame musical showcase will see five sungura groups, one masgandi, one passade/rhumba and three Afro-jazz ensembles taking to the stage.
Bulawayo will be represented by a sungura outfit called Facebook Brothers while Njanja Express will be representing the capital and Talent Falls Band the only passade/rhumba group will represent Manicaland.
From Matabeleland South comes Zonda Mthakathi the only masgandi group in the competition. Matabeleland North group Afro Bango will be in the contest while Black Sight will stand for Mashonaland Central.
Orchestra Mafaro Chete will be representing Masvingo and Mbada Sounds from Midlands will be rocking it for the grand prize.
Attack Jazz Band from Mashonaland West and Hambakure Stars from Mashonaland East complete the line-up. Added to the fun and drinks galore, are some of the top performers in different genres. The traditional heavy weights in the likes of Suluman Chimbetu, Alick Macheso, Jah Prayzah and Sandra Ndebele will make guest appearances on the night.
The show has always been one not to be missed since the days of Tongai “Dhewa” Moyo who was arguably one of the sought-after sungura stars from Kwekwe. Whenever he performed at the Chibuku Road To Fame, Tongai would leave an indelible mark. It is a pity he is no longer with us but many still have fond memories of his performances.
Perhaps the new twist to the line-up this year is the inclusion of Zimdancehall artistes Shinsoman and Lady Squanda aka the Queen of Zimdancehall.
The inclusion of Lady Squanda and Shinso in short, is no doubt a recognition that the genre has made an impact on the local music scene.
Last year, the winners of the Chibuku Road to Fame were Bindura-based outfit The Way Band, who followed in the footsteps of Terry and the Bliss, 2012 winners who broke into the sungura stronghold with fresh contemporary jazz-inspired sounds. The 2013 edition was also graced by a surprise appearance by the Malawi Chibuku Road to Fame edition winners.
“Chibuku Road to Fame is one of the three largest musical festivals in the country, and is the single largest talent identification programme in Zimbabwe in terms of scale and in terms of depth. Our long standing partnership with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe has shown the power of public- private partnerships in bringing about community development”, Patricia Murambinda, Delta Beverages marketing manager said.
She said it would be a busy year for Chibuku as they would also be in Bulawayo for the Chibuku Main Stage at the Intwasa Festival.
“Delta Beverages remain one of the largest supporters of the arts in the country, and 2014 the company has already hit the ground running to ensure it continues to deliver,“ Murambinda said.
Founded in 2001, the Chibuku Road to Fame has respectively grown to critical acclaim, and now boasts some of the most valuable entertainment franchises on the local arts front.
The Chibuku Road to Fame has now been expanded to Botswana and Malawi with Zambia expected to launch the programme in the next 24 months.
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