Online Reporter
Langalihle Mhiti
THE early 2000s Urban Grooves era is roaring back into Zimbabwe’s mainstream musical scene.
A new generation of musicians are bringing back the sound with fresh twists, modern production and youthful confidence.
What once dominated radio playlists, nearly two decades ago, is finding new life on TikTok, Spotify and college campuses.
It’s proving that nostalgia still has a powerful pull in shaping Zimbabwe’s contemporary music culture.
From sampled classics to reimagined love ballads, today’s rising stars are digging into the archives of icons like Stunner, Extra Large, Alexio, Cindy Munyavi, Maskiri, Leonard Mapfumo and Sanii Makhalima.
The result is a growing wave of songs that pay homage to the golden era while blending Afrobeats, Amapiano and Afrofusion textures.
Music analyst, Tawanda “TJ Beats” Jena, said the revival was inevitable.
“Urban Grooves raised a whole generation. Those melodies were simple, catchy and emotional,” he said.
“Young artists today grew up listening to them at school concerts and family gatherings, so it makes sense they’re bringing the sound back but with better production and global influences.”
One of the clearest signs of the comeback is the sudden interest in sampling.
Harare-based singer Andre The Vocalist recently sparked conversation after teasing a version of Sanii Makhalima’s classic ‘Ndofira Kure’, blending it with smooth Afrofusion.
On TikTok, the snippet attracted thousands of videos, many from youths who were not even born when the original song was released.
“We didn’t grow up in the Urban Grooves era, but the songs still hit differently,” said 19-year-old TikToker Mellisa Chikowore.
“There’s something warm and emotional about those old songs. When artists remix them, it just feels like culture is connecting generations.”
Another fast-rising star, 22-year-old rapper JayDru, recently trended after releasing a drill-infused sample of Stunner’s ‘Team Hombe’, turning the iconic hook into a street anthem for Gen Z.
“I wanted to show respect to the legends who walked so we could run,” JayDru said.
“Urban Grooves shaped Zimbabwe’s pop identity. As new artists, we’re not trying to copy, we’re trying to expand it.”
The revival has not gone unnoticed by the pioneers themselves.
Alexio Kawara, known for timeless hits like ‘Shaina’, says he welcomes the movement.
“Music evolves. What we created twenty years ago was for that moment, but I’m happy the young generation is finding new meaning in it,” he said.
“If they can carry the flame forward and introduce Urban Grooves to the world, that’s even better.”
For many young fans, the return of the sound goes beyond the music.
It’s tied to fashion, nostalgia and culture.
Vintage baggy jeans, bandanas, Afro-pop dance moves and street-style aesthetics are slowly resurfacing at youth events. DJ Dee Nosh from Club Sankayi said the demand is rising.
“When we play a throwback Urban Grooves set, people lose their minds. And now, when we mix a throwback with a new sampled version, it just creates magic,” he said.
Music streaming data supports the trend too.
Several 2000s classics recently saw a spike in plays on Spotify and Apple Music, triggered by viral TikTok challenges built around their choruses. Arts journalist, Valerie Choga, believes the revival comes at a time when Zimbabweans are craving cultural anchors.
“Urban Grooves was the soundtrack of a hopeful, youthful Zimbabwe,” she said.
“For many people, revisiting that era even through modern remakes brings comfort and identity.
“Younger artists tapping into it are also discovering a sound that is uniquely Zimbabwean.”
As more young musicians embrace the genre’s DNA, the future looks promising.
Producers are already experimenting with hybrid Urban Grooves-Amapiano tracks, while promoters are planning throwback-meets-new-wave concerts to celebrate both generations. Whether this resurgence will lead to a full-fledged national movement remains to be seen.
But one thing is clear.
Urban Grooves is no longer just a memory.
It is a living, evolving sound and Zimbabwe’s new stars are determined to carry it into the next decade.
