THE cheers at Harare’s 7 Arts Theatre had barely subsided on Saturday night when Warrior Ting was crowned DreamStar Season 10 winner, capping an extraordinary journey from incarceration to the national stage.
Born Tinashe Mnakwinji, Warrior Ting, an inmate serving a prison sentence, turned to music and performance, while in custody. His soulful original compositions and commanding stage presence won over both the jury and audience, earning him the title as well as the Ambassador’s People’s Choice Award.
His victory gave the decade-old talent competition a powerful human-interest dimension, highlighting the potential of arts and rehabilitation programmes to help people rebuild their lives and discover new possibilities.
Tadiwa Moses finished second, while No Name Dance Crew came third.
Warrior Ting’s mother, Dudzai Katuwanze, rushed onto the stage after the announcement, overcome with emotion.
“I am proud of my son,” she said as she embraced him.
Warrior Ting began serving a 15-year sentence in February 202, and developed his vocal and dance abilities through correctional skills and arts programmes, according to information supplied to NewsDay.
Before his DreamStar breakthrough, he had released Rhaka Rhaka, which became popular among dancehall fans.
His victory came as 10 finalists — Ahmanda Rasta, No Name Dance Crew, Tadiwa Moses, Thebaucee, Daniella, Maarlie, Canaan Delight, Ariphileng, Munashe Kwela and MCS Marimba Band — competed in music, dance and performance under the direction of Yaya Good Vibes and Slick Pastor.
Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture deputy minister Emily Jesaya said DreamStar demonstrated how the arts could transform lives, create employment and promote social cohesion.
She highlighted the programme’s financial literacy and digital marketing initiatives, as well as its rehabilitation partnerships, and announced plans for 30 talented Zimbabweans to travel to China for a cultural exchange programme in October.
Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding described DreamStar as a bridge for people-to-people friendship.
He said about 300 artistes nurtured through the programme had travelled to China, with 22 pursuing advanced academic programmes there.
Zhou linked the initiative to the 2026 China-Africa People-to-People Exchange Year.
The 10th anniversary celebrations also featured DreamStar alumni Mwenje Mathole, Fusion Five Mangwiro, Suhn, Probeats and Mimi, who delivered a mentorship showcase that brought established artistes together with the competition’s latest generation.
National Arts Council of Zimbabwe chief executive Napoleon Nyanhi praised DreamStar for a decade of empowering young people and called for greater investment in the arts.
He urged contestants and alumni to “dream higher, dream bigger and aim higher”.
The anniversary showcase also underscored the role of DreamStar’s alumni in nurturing emerging talent, with former contestants using their experience to mentor a new generation.
At the centre of DreamStar’s decade-long journey is founder Steve Zhao Ke of the China-Zimbabwe Exchange Centre, whose commitment to Zimbabwean creativity has helped shape the competition into a platform for talent development and cultural exchange.
His vision, alongside contributions from Walter Chanaka, Bright Mongameli and Nyanhi, has helped DreamStar evolve into a meeting point for talent, leadership and cultural friendship.
The journey perhaps best reflects the Shona proverb: Chakanaka chakanaka, mukaka haurungwi munyu — what is genuinely good retains its value and quality despite changing circumstances.
For Warrior Ting, the DreamStar trophy was more than a prize. It was a powerful reminder that talent can emerge from unlikely places, and that a difficult past does not necessarily have to define the future.
