BY FREEMAN MAKOPA
AFRO-JAZZ artiste Hope Masike yesterday said she was currently in the studio in Norway working on a new collaborative album with the transcultural Norwegian outfit Monoswezi ahead of performances at several concerts lined up in Oslo.
Masike has been playing a unique brand of Afro-Normadic music with the Norwegian band since 2011 after connecting with some of the band members at a culture school called Kulturskoleni Fredrikstad in Norway in 2011.
The songbird said it was then that the Monoswezi band was set up and it has been touring the world since then.
Masike, who is currently riding high on her latest offering Exorcism of a Spinster, promised fans a unique album which will have a blend of different vibes.
“When working with the best, no excuses, just blessings! We promise you a fantastic new album, a fantastic together-blend of Zimbabwean vibes plus Mozambique and Scandinavia,” she said.
“It’s such a blessing to be able to go away for some days, leave the stresses of day-to-day life, be on a lovely, quiet island with the tranquil sounds of the ocean and have time only for making music.”
Masike said it was a dream come true for her to be able to solely focus on music production with musicians from different cultures because that was “a dream for any creative”.
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Monoswezi is a collaborative outfit comprising artistes from Mozambique, Norway, Sweden and Zimbabwe.
The music group has four studio albums that have been doing well on the world music scene and is currently recording their fifth album.
Masike demonstrates her outstanding mbira-playing skills, plays percussion and sings her original compositions as part of the band.
Masike is well known for her expertise in playing mbira and a captivating lead voice. Her music ventures have led to tours and collaborations with several high-profile international artistes.
A well-travelled musician, Masike hit a high notch after her new offering — Exorcism of a Spinster —made it into the Top 3 of the World Music Charts Europe compiled every month from the votes of leading music specialists and disc jockeys from 24 European countries.
Masike, who has played an influential role in popularising modern mbira music, has three albums under her belt — Hope (2009) and Mbira, Love and Chocolate (2012) and Exorcism of a Spinster (2019).
