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Mbulelo Mpofu, [email protected]

AS Jacaranda trees bloom, painting the city purple-blue, the Old Hararians Sports Club in the capital city will come alive when the 2023 edition of the Stanbic Jacaranda Music Festival (SJMF) roars into life from 6 to 8 October.

The festival which is fast-growing into the largest music festival in the country, was founded in 2018 and has been bringing together regional and local artistes.

The organisers of the event, Ngoma Nehosho fronted by Walter Wanyanya, say everything is set for the festival.

Judith Sephuma

“We are 85 percent ready to host this year’s festival. The theme is ‘#ItCanBe’ that we have adopted from our title partner Stanbic Bank.

“We’re basically echoing the fact that through music and our creative effort, anything we set our minds to can be, nothing is impossible,” said Wanyanya.

South Africa’s Judith Sephuma, Ami Faku and locals Alexio Kawara, Sylent Nqo, Norman Masamba, Chiweddar and Intotal Band are among the 22 artistes billed to perform at the festival.

The organisers are set to reveal the second batch of acts on Monday.

Ami Faku

Ami Faku and Judith Sephuma are two artistes who are revered on the South African music scene and their inclusion in the SJMF line-up is set to excite local music fans.

A lineup this impressive is consistent with SJMF’s mission to present the best in the music industry.

Nigerian musician Kunle Ayo, South Africa’s DJ Zinhle and her partner Morda, Zonke as well as Philani Mfikelephi of Metro FM, Jiggs Thorne of the MTN Bushfire Festival in Swaziland and Mantwa Chinoamadi-Mutsinya, CEO and festival producer of the SA’s Joy of Jazz Festival, all appeared at the festival the previous year. If last year’s festival vibes were anything to go by, then, jazz aficionados are in for quite a time of their lives.

Wanyanya said there is no time to rest on their laurels as metalheads will bang their heads in unison as Ngoma Nehosho which hosted UB40 featuring Ali Campbell in May “host the biggest rock event in Zimbabwe this side of the millennium on November 4 in Harare.” — @MbuleloMpofu