Zimpapers Logo

Melissa Mpofu Showbiz Editor
Sandra Ndebele has a hectic weekend ahead as she will perform in Harare at the Chibuku Road to Fame finals – hours after performing at the Intwasa Festival in Bulawayo. She, together with Dendera musician Sulumani Chimbetu, will first perform at the Bayethe concert being held at the Large City Hall on Friday evening before making their way to Harare the next morning. They will share the Intwasa stage with Ndolwane Super Sounds, Iyasa and Albert Nyathi.

On Saturday, they will share the Glamis Stadium stage with Jah Prayzah, Alick Macheso, Shinsoman and Lady Squanda.
Chibuku Road to Fame – the country’s largest talent identification programme – will see 10 musical groups vying for the top prize of $5,000 and a recording contract.

Bulawayo will now be represented by tshibilika/sungura group, Facebook Brothers after the initial group, Sekunjalo Ma Africa was disqualified by organisers of the talent search two months ago.

They will compete with Njenja Express (Harare), Talent Falls Band (Manicaland), Black Sight (Mashonaland Central), Afro Bongo (Matabeleland North), Zonda Muthakati (Matabeleland South), Attack Jazz Band (Mashonaland West), Hambako Stars (Mashonaland East), Super Challengers (Midlands) and Orchestra Mafaro Chete (Masvingo).
Speaking on the Chibuku finals, Facebook Brothers said they had finalised their act and were geared for the finals.

“We’re done with preparations for the Chibuku Road to Fame finals. We had our final rehearsals yesterday and are confident that the crown is coming to Bulawayo.
“What makes us so confident is that we’re going to be playing our own original material. We’re not going to copy anything that they do in Harare but we’re going to stick to our Ndebele culture, that of the people that we are going to be representing,” group leader Victor Newende said.

The eight-member group which was trained by Chase Skuza, Ndux Junior and Martin Sibanda of Ndolwane Super Sounds said they were grateful to the artistes for having prepared them for the finals.

The group is not new to the Glamis Stadium stage as they once represented Bulawayo in the 2012 Chibuku Road to Fame national finals. They made the bottom five, something they hope to change to number one this year.

Delta Beverages marketing manager Patricia Murambinda said all was set for the musical showcase.
Last year’s winners, The Way Band, are expected to perform at the finals on Saturday. The group from Bindura followed in the footsteps of Terry and the Bliss, 2012 winners who broke the stranglehold of sungura with fresh contemporary jazz inspired sounds.

Murambinda said the Road to Fame competitions had grown adding that it was a busy period for the Chibuku brand which is sponsoring one of the Intwasa festival main stages.
“The Chibuku Road to Fame showcase remains one of the top three most critically acclaimed events on the national arts calendar. Established in Harare in 2001, the musical extravaganza has now been expanded into three neighbouring countries where the Chibuku brand is also available – Botswana, Malawi with Zambia expected to launch the programme in the next year.

“It is a busy period for Chibuku, as immediately after the Road to Fame, the brand will be quickly moving to Bulawayo to sponsor the Chibuku Main Stage at the Intwasa Festival,” she said.