Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu, Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment
This October, the City of Tshwane will transform into Africa’s music epicentre as it hosts the 2025 Music In Africa Conference for Collaborations, Exchange and Showcases (ACCES). Amid industry heavyweights, global producers, and over 80 performing acts, Zimbabwe’s Afro-Jazz sensation, Godfrey “Mwendamberi” Chirau, is poised to put his artistry in the continental spotlight.
For Mwendamberi, ACCES is more than a performance; it is a gateway. Sharing stages with top African acts including South Africa’s Zoë Modiga and Focalistic, Rwanda’s Boukuru, and Nigeria’s Tobi Peter, he will showcase Zimbabwe’s unique Afro-Jazz fusion to festival bookers, record label executives, international media, and influential producers from over 45 countries.
“Performing at ACCES is monumental. It’s a chance to introduce the world to Zimbabwean music, to our rhythms, our stories, our soul,” Mwendamberi said.
The ACCES 2025 Showcase Festival (October 30–November 1) promises electrifying performances across diverse genres, but for many attendees, acts like Mwendamberi embody the continent’s creative heartbeat, innovative, culturally rooted, and globally resonant.
The conference also hosts panels, masterclasses, and mentorship sessions, tackling key industry topics from financing artistes and developing export platforms to protecting intellectual property and leveraging innovations like AI in music.
“ACCES is where Africa’s voices meet the global music conversation,” said Eddie Hatitye, executive director of the Music In Africa Foundation.
“This year in Tshwane, Mwendamberi and other rising stars have the opportunity to make connections that could define their careers.” – Follow on X @MbuleloMpofu
