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Bongani Ndlovu Showbiz Correspondent
ALL female Imbube group, Nobuntu, launched their album Ekhaya, with a stellar performance that charmed the audience with their melodious voices, kick-starting their national tour in style. The group ,made up of five members Thandeka Moyo, Joyline Sibanda, Zanele Manhenga, Heather Dube and Duduzile Sibanda, performed in front of a sizeable crowd at the National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo showing their fans what they do when they go on tour in Europe and Canada.

“Ekhaya, means ‘home’ and it is good to be at home and launch our album. Expect a lot from us as a group as we want Zimbabweans to know us more as group this year,” said Sibanda.

She said the album touches a lot of issues that happen at home.

“The music that we’re doing came mostly from homes; I started singing at a very young age. My grandmother was a good singer. At home a lot of things happen and that is where we take most of our inspiration from and home means a lot to us,” said Sibanda.

When they took to the stage clad in all black accessorised by traditional Ndebele beading, they blended their voices in such a way those in the audience could not but help as to dance and clap along.

Songs such as Uthixo, Ngonyama, Inkonkoni and Narini are tracks to look out for in their album.

Afro Jazz musician Jeys Marabini and Black Umfolosi lead singer Sotsha Dube were invited on stage and they did the inqguzu dance, much to the delight of the crowd.

At the end of the show fans rushed to the back to buy the album at $5 each.

The group will take their act to Harare at the Old Mutual Theatre this Saturday and then Victoria Falls on June 25 at Chipala Cultural Experience.

Nobuntu is an acapella vocal ensemble made up of young Zimbabwean women. Their repertoire is a fusion of traditional Zimbabwean rooted music, afro jazz, gospel and crossover in pure voices with minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments such as mbira and some dance movements.

The group was founded in 2011 on realising the absence of an all-female professional acapella group in the country.