SOUTH African singer Winnie Khumalo will be in a stage romance with local musician, Bryan Kadengu tonight at The Venue in Harare, as she makes a return to Zimbabwe barely three months after she performed for former President Robert Mugabe last year in Bulawayo.
BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
The Mzansi singer will touch down at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport this afternoon, ahead of the show dubbed Winnie Khumalo Live in Concert, during where she will also rub shoulders on stage with AfriCherry and wheel spinner Reverb 7.
In an interview with NewsDay Life & Style yesterday, Bryan K said he felt honoured to collaborate with Khumalo, whom he described as an amazing artiste. He promised a magical show for the fans value for their money.
The Venue’s manager, HD Fraser, said the concert is part of the re-launch of Harare’s most stylish conferencing and events centre that was closed for facelifts that included an enhanced stage and backstage area and state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems.
The Venue was first opened in 2012 and has established a core clientele with offerings in conferences, banqueting, celebratory events and musical gigs. “The Venue is now geared for expected increases in all areas of events and conferencing during 2018 and beyond, and what we have tried to do is provide state-of-the-art facilities for a range of activities focused on stylish surroundings, upmarket cuisine and an international-style ambience,” HD Fraser said.
“The re-launch event, supported by fastjet Zimbabwe and Holiday Inn Harare features an early-evening cocktail party for invited guests with music by local band AfriCherry, followed by a public launch party with entertainment from South Africa’s Winnie Khumalo and Zimbabwean musicians Bryan K and DJ Reverb 7.”
Khumalo started singing in her teens before releasing her debut album, Hey Laiti, in 1988.
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Although recognised for her impressive vocal abilities, she was also criticised for copying Brenda Fassie, with whom she was working at the time. “I learnt more about music while I was with Brenda Fassie than I learnt anywhere else,” Khumalo says.
“She was my mentor and role model.”
After taking a long break from the music industry, she joined Kalawa Jazmee Records five years ago.
Khumalo says Kalawa Jazmee Records also wanted her to sing gospel music, but she felt she was not ready for it.
“I am not spiritually ready to commit to gospel music yet. I have a lot of sins to deal with. I do not want to be a fake like some gospel artistes, who are saturating the industry,” she said.
Her gospel tunes were produced by Sipho Mbele, who works with gospel divas Deborah Fraser and Hlengiwe Mhlaba.
She has also appeared in the TV drama Muvhango, featured on the Brothers Of Peace album Life Iskoroko, and in Chicco Twala’s low-budget movie, My Sh*t Father and My Lotto Ticket.
