The lights of the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC) came alive on Friday night as Feli Nandi turned her long-promised “Fill Up HICC” mission into a pulsating celebration of Zimbabwean music, drawing a densely packed audience that sang, danced and steadily squeezed closer to the stage as the evening gathered momentum.

Presented as A Night with Feli Nandi Vol. 9, the August 14 concert was also a live recording and the culmination of an ambitious campaign that had taken the Afro-fusion singer across Zimbabwe. The show combined Feli’s catalogue with collaborations, choral arrangements, dance and a strong supporting cast, while radio personalities Tariro Gezi and KVG kept the crowd engaged between acts. Organisers had previously described the venue as a 4,500-capacity facility.

The opening performances established the evening’s Zimbabwean musical identity. Sarungano warmed the room with original material and renditions associated with the late Dr Oliver Mtukudzi, turning the auditorium into a chorus as familiar melodies travelled from the stage into the crowd. Fusion 5 Mangwiro followed with the smooth pulse of Kuhope and other selections, while Mwenje Mathole brought a rootsy, rhythmic charge through Makuwerere, Shasha, Chimbudzi, Paye and Madhlauzane. Intotal Band then shifted the temperature with Kunatsa Muroyi, Chitekete and Mugove, their live-band texture giving the night an unmistakably Zimbabwean groove. Fusion 5 Mangwiro’s name and Kuhope are independently corroborated by music catalogues.

Victor Kunonga deepened the musical conversation with Maidarirei, Tinetariro, I Love You/Nyika Ino, Mbungo's Muponesi Jesu, Kwedu and Handinete/Ipa Kutenda, bringing his characteristic blend of melody and reflection. ExQ then injected contemporary energy with Saka Waidei, Handiteereri Makuhwa and Musoro Wangu, before Tammy Moyo transformed the stage into a choreography-driven Afro-pop and soul showcase. Her performance married vocals, dancers and band interplay, giving the younger end of the bill a commanding moment.

Tammy later credited the collective behind the performance, saying: “Teamwork makes the dream work.” She thanked her dancers, TAM Nation Tribe, Blaze Union and management, adding that the act had been built so audiences could experience what they had created “as musicians, as dancers, as singers, as instrumentalists.” She also teased “incredible collaborations” and new music as 2026 progresses.

Feli Nandi eventually stepped into the spotlight, with the Feli Nandi Choir and Guruve Dance Troupe expanding the sound and visual palette. Ko Inini, Munamato, Pabva Mufaro Wangu, Shamwari, Munhu Wangu, Ndisiyei, Changamire Nditambireiwo, Handidi Newe, Hamundinzwisise, Woman, Kukoromoka, One Soul, Tongai, Simba Riri and Chana Changu formed the reported backbone of her two-part set.

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A visibly emotional Feli Nandi said the turnout represented more than a personal victory. “Tonight is a representation that a woman can be a king, a woman can lead, a woman can be powerful,” she said, adding: “This is not for me, this is for everybody else.” She said the milestone should encourage more female musicians to aim for major venues and insisted: “It’s possible, you can do it, anybody can do it.”

As the night edged towards its close, Chimurenga music star Kurai Makore was more than a dessert; he was the final flourish. His serenading set offered a reflective landing after the evening’s high-octane procession, leaving the audience with the enduring language of Zimbabwean song ringing through HICC.
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