Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu [email protected]
UNITED Kingdom-based Zimbabwean musician Tafadzwa “Zwa” Gapara is set to break new ground with the launch of her latest project, Overloaded Mind, in Leicester on September 5.
The Mpopoma-born artiste is stepping away from the usual concert set-up and trying something different. Instead of performing on stage, she is inviting people into a fully immersive audio-visual experience that reflects the feeling of having too much going on in your mind.
The installation surrounds visitors with sound, light and moving images, drawing them into a journey that mirrors everyday mental pressure. People who walk through it will move from moments of confusion and stress to a calmer, more reflective state.
At the centre of the project is a carefully crafted soundtrack made up of original marimba, mbira and vocal music. Zwa worked closely with Zimbabwean producer Trust Semende to create the sound.
The music is heavily influenced by traditional Shona and Ndebele styles, as well as African group singing, combined with modern digital techniques. Together, these elements show how thoughts, responsibilities and emotions often compete for attention in the human mind.
Despite touching on serious emotional themes, Zwa says the work is not meant to be clinical or difficult to understand.
“The work is not intended as a medical or clinical explanation of mental health. Rather, it is an immersive, artistic exploration of the everyday pressures, internal conversations, and emotions that so many of us navigate in our regular lives. It’s about translating that heavy internal noise into something we can see, hear, and process together,” said Zwa.
Visually, the installation draws from Zimbabwean life. It uses images and ideas inspired by local landscapes, rural settings and cultural symbols. These familiar elements are mixed with modern projection technology to create something new and engaging.
For Zwa, the project is about showing how traditional Zimbabwean music can be presented in fresh ways. By bringing instruments like the mbira and marimba into digital spaces, she hopes to introduce global audiences to a different way of experiencing African culture.
Her work reflects her wide-ranging background. As a trained healthcare musician, she has worked in community, education and medical settings, where she has seen how music can express feelings that are often hard to put into words.
Zwa’s journey started at a young age, driven by her love for music and the arts.
“I have always loved art from a young age, so much that I even planned on getting a degree or PhD in music if all goes well,’ Gapara shared.
She went on to study Music and Musicology at Midlands State University and also trained at Music Crossroads. Over time, she has built a strong reputation as a multi-instrumentalist, playing mbira, marimba, guitar and recorder.
Her career has taken her beyond Zimbabwe. She performed internationally as part of the Grammy-winning Soweto Gospel Choir and now sings with the EAGA Gospel Choir in the UK. She has also worked with Zimbabwean artistes including Albert Nyathi, Amavithikazi and Lelo Langa.
Back home, she led the Christian music group Second Chance, which released its debut project The Summon in 2023. The project stood out for blending traditional instruments with modern gospel sounds.
Zwa is also passionate about teaching. She made history as the first Zimbabwean female marimba specialist at Zimfest, leading workshops across the United States between 2019 and March 2022.
She has also taught at the College of Creative Arts Africa and volunteered her time to support music therapy and education projects in Bulawayo, including work at the Sandra Jones Centre and the You Have It In You Foundation.
Now based in Leicester, Zwa is combining her cultural roots with modern technology. Through Overloaded Mind, she is showing that traditional African music can evolve and find new life in today’s digital world.
