ALL roads will lead to Glamis Arena this Saturday when Delta Beverages and the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe host the much anticipated 2014 finals of the Chibuku Road to Fame musical showcase.
The Chibuku Road to Fame showcase remains one of the top three most critically acclaimed events on the national arts calendar.
Established in Harare in 2001, the musical extravaganza has now been expanded into two neighbouring countries where the Chibuku brand is also available, namely Botswana and Malawi, with Zambia expected to launch the programme in the next year.
The organisers have confirmed signed-up contracts for performances by Jah Prayzah, Alick Macheso, Sulumani Chimbetu, Shinsoman, and — in a vote towards female talent — Lady Squanda and Sandra Ndebele.
Last year’s winners, The Way Band, will also be making an appearance.
The national finals come after intense provincial competitions were held where various groups contended for the chance to bag $5 000 cash and a recording contract which are on offer at the finals.
Some of the groups expected to make an appearance include Facebook Brothers from Bulawayo, Njenja Express for Harare, Talent Falls Band from Manicaland, all of which will be playing sungura except for the latter who will introduce a new genre Passade Rhumba.
There has been a significant departure from the dominance of sungura over the years and this year has continued with that trend with a noticeable increase in Afro Jazz artistes.
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Black Sight form Mashonaland Central, Afro Bongo from Matebeleland North and Attack Jazz Band from Mashonaland West will all be playing Afro Jazz.
Rounding up the list of hopefuls this year will be Hambako Stars, Super Challengers and Orchestra Mafaro Chete, all playing sungura.
The three groups will be representing Mashonaland East, Midlands and Masvingo respectively.
Matebeleland South’s representatives will be Zonda Muthakati playing Masgandi,“The Chibuku Road to Fame is one of the three largest musical festivals in the country, and is the single largest talent identification programme in Zimbabwe in terms of scale and in terms of depth,” Delta Beverages marketing manager Patricia Murambinda said.
“Our longstanding partnership with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe has shown the power of public-private partnerships in bringing about community development,” she said.
Last year, the winners of the Chibuku Road to Fame were a Bindura-based outfit, The Way Band, which followed in the footsteps of Terry and the Bliss (2012 winners) who broke the stranglehold of sungura with fresh contemporary jazz inspired sounds.
It will be a busy year for Chibuku as immediately after the Road to Fame, the brand will be quickly moving to Bulawayo to sponsor the Chibuku Main Stage at the Intwasa Festival.
Delta Beverages remains one of the largest supporters of the arts in the country, and in 2014, the company has already hit the ground running to ensure it continues to deliver. — Multimedia
