SOUTH African songstress Zahara and Alick Macheso have never worked together.
Report by Godwin Muzari
Coincidentally, on Friday the musicians traded grounds. When Zahara was performing at the Harare International Conference Centre, Macheso was across the Limpopo River at Chez Ntemba International Nightclub in Johannesburg.
Somehow, an invisible umbilical cord tied their performances. Zahara got into Macheso’s shoes in Harare, albeit unknowingly. When she called a female fan to dance on stage, Zahara could not resist the lure of Macheso’s Zora Butter dance.
When the female fan gestured the Zora Butter dance to the packed auditorium, the crowd went wild prompting Zahara to try the style — and that was the proverbial killer punch to her performance. The dance rippled around HICC like a wave.
Zahara was delighted. Although the style was strange to her, it was the zenith of her performance. Of course, her hit Loliwe, which she played towards the end of her performance also proved popular.
And so did her joint performance with Alexio Kawara on the song Incwad’ Enance. Kawara sang the shona lyrics of the song, originally done by South Africa-based Zimbabwean radio personality George Munetsi.
The crowd loved the part of the song as Zahara also did the shona lyrics.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Zahara reiterated her previous assertion of how she respects Oliver Mtukudzi, who also performed on the night.
“Mtukudzi is one of my inspirations. Thank you Zimbabwe for your support. I wish I could come and spend leisure time with everyone here,” she announced during her performance.
Zahara’s performance was punctuated with a number of copyright tracks from other international artistes, but the crowd loved and sang along to her own songs.
Mtukudzi exhibited why he is an internationally acclaimed artiste when he came on stage just after Zahara’s performance.
He thrilled the audience with an outstanding act. Every song was enjoyable and fans enjoyed the show right to the end of the show towards 3am.
Mokoomba and Kawara also did well. Mokoomba was first on stage. The Victoria Falls-based Afro-fusion ensemble excited a sizeable crowd that came to the venue earlier.
Although the group is little-known on the local scene, fans enjoyed the act throughout the group’s performance.
Kawara went on stage around 9pm. Hits like Shaina, Karwiyo and Chibvukubvuku were popular with the crowd, but it seems people are still to appreciate tracks from his last album Tose.
However, a blunder on the part of HICC staff that were selling beverages dented an exciting night.
There was pressure at the counters as people jostled to buy drinks. The service was slow and people were told to buy coupons first to access the beverages.
