Online Reporter
Langelihle Dube, [email protected]
BULAWAYO’S rising Afro-Tech trio, Asante Mo, is making waves both locally and internationally. Known for blending traditional African rhythms with modern electronic beats, the group members have grown from their stint with Iyasa to signing a global distribution deal with Virgin Music.
More than just a percussion group, they are a bridge between the old and the new. Their sound is what happens when you take the sacred iHossana beat and run it through the high-voltage filter of modern Afro-Tech.
Tracing their journey, the group did not start with a polished brand or a five-year plan. Back in their days, Aaron Chikondawanga, Bekithemba Phiri and Newman Trindad Gondwe, who all enrolled at Inkululeko Yabatsha School of Arts (Iyasa) were just students who enjoyed jamming as friends after rehearsals.
Their talent caught the eye of former Iyasa member Nkwali and DJ Nqoe, who in June 2020 featured Chikondawanga and Phiri in Nkwali’s Imbokodo music video. Later that year, a meeting with Nkwali and DJ Nqoe sparked three months of intense rehearsals before the trio ever performed on a public stage.
Their big break came during the Covid-19 lockdowns, on an online show hosted by Iyasa. DJ Nqoe, handling sound and lights, convinced director Nkululeko Dube to give the trio a slot. The performance was electric, but there was one problem: they did not have a group name. Glancing at their DJ, they went with Afro Pitch, but it did not stick. It was Nkwali, who challenged them to find something more authentic. They settled on Asante Mo, a mix of Swahili and local slang meaning “thank you”.
“It’s a name that serves as a constant reminder of the people who supported us when we had nothing but our drums,” Gondwe said in an interview.
Since those early days, the group has grown, adding members Leeroy Tshuma and Makhosi Mlotshwa to the line-up.
Every artiste has a moment where the path ahead finally clears. For Asante Mo, that moment happened at the Zimkids Orphanage in Pumula North. At the time, the group wanted to support a charity drive led by former Miss Zimbabwe, Samantha Tshuma, but they had no money to give. Instead, they offered a performance. As they were having their meal after the show, they were approached by Tinashe Basa, who runs the orphanage and owns Tizzie Studios in Burnside. Basa was so moved by the energy that he offered them free studio time.
“Mwari apindira (God has intervened),” they recall saying. “That day, it felt like we were born again,” Gondwe said.
One of Asante Mo’s most striking features is their mission. They noticed the ama2k generation beginning to see traditional Zimbabwean culture as outdated, and decided to revive it through a modern, cool lens.
“We’re slowly losing our culture. The new world of ama2k is different. They don’t want to be embarrassed with ‘some funny stuff’, so we decided to meet them halfway by blending culture into their modern world.”
By fusing the iHossana (a sacred rain-making beat) and the Indandanda with electronic Afro-Tech, Asante Mo has made traditional sounds feel fresh. They are not just playing drums, they are preserving heritage while making it danceable.
Their signature “interactive” style was cemented during a set at HiNDE, a house music event with DJ Nitefreak, which they called “the best one hour on earth”. They realised that when the drums hit the right frequency, the audience does not just watch, they become part of the rhythm, a key element of the high-energy shows that define them.
They also recalled their time at the Mapopoma Festival in Victoria Falls with fondness. Standing alongside giants like Nutty O and South Africa’s Murumba Pitch, they knew they had arrived when the sound engineers, usually the toughest critics, asked them to repeat their sound check, simply because they were so impressed by the percussion.
The group’s momentum shifted into high gear when they took their sound to Harare. During a performance as guest artistes at the Ultimate Dance Battles at Alliance Française, they began building relationships with major organisations, including the German Embassy.
It was in Harare that they met Discord from the legendary group Mafriq. They shared musical ideas and Discord was so impressed that he introduced them to his colleague, Vuyo, who works with WMD Records, which has offices in Harare. He loved the Asante Mo style and saw a path to the global stage. Through WMD Records, the trio last year signed a distribution deal with Virgin Music, part of Universal Music Group.
Virgin Music has represented legends such as The Rolling Stones, Spice Girls, Janet Jackson, David Bowie, Sex Pistols, Tina Turner, Culture Club, Massive Attack and Lenny Kravitz.
Gondwe said the agreement means Bulawayo’s sounds will soon reach listeners in the US, Japan, UK, Germany, France and Latin America, where the label has a strong presence.
So far, the group said the partnership with WMD has been seamless. “Everything is so far, so good.”
After winning the Outstanding Alternative Music award at the 2025 Bulawayo Arts Awards (BAA), Asante Mo has clearly entered a new league. As they gear up for a dual-city album launch this August, the trio stays true to their guiding philosophy: “In music we believe, in drums we dance”.
