DJ Kivo sets tone for DJ Stavo in Kwekwe DJ Kivo in Kwekwe

Melissa Mpofu, Showbiz Editor
AFTER a successful dancehall weekend outing at the Solomon’s Café in Kwekwe that featured performances by United Kingdom-based DJ Kivo Santana and Zi-Dancehall Empire, the town will come alive again this weekend.

Newlywed DJ Stavo and his best friend, Ash Stylz, will take over and play at what has become Kwekwe’s most sought-after spot this Saturday. It is promising to be another explosive night.

Popularly known as the Kwekwe Hustler, DJ Stavo, who tied the knot in Harare last month, will reunite with fans in Kwekwe, a town close to his heart as he spent most of his years there before relocating to Harare three years ago.

“I’m excited to be re-uniting with fans and fellow friends that I left in Kwekwe. It’s been three years now so I’m also looking forward to making new fans,” DJ Stavo said.

Speaking about his performance that commanded a full house last Saturday, DJ Kivo thanked the Midlands community for supporting dancehall music.
Based in the UK, DJ Kivo, who was raised in Kwekwe before relocating to the UK, is in the country for the next week. He performed at what was dubbed the Dancehall Reunion at the Kwekwe club before performing at another fast-rising nightspot — Club Sankayi in Harare on Sunday.

“The Kwekwe show was good. The turnout was great and it attracted people from as far as Gweru and Zvishavane,” DJ Kivo said.

He said as a result of the success of this event that showed the popularity of dancehall music in the Midlands province as show attendees sang along to almost all the songs, they were now planning to have a dancehall movement. The dancehall movement, with the help of the Zi-Dancehall Empire duo of DJ 2 Bad and Abisha Palmer, they will tour different parts of the Midlands province popularising, especially Zimdancehall music which is fast growing.

“We’re planning to take this event to Gweru first as most people who came through were from there. We’re also planning to come up with a Zimdancehall movement that will see me, together with the Zi-Dancehall Empire crew, promoting the genre.”

On the Zimdancehall artistes, DJ Kivo said they were doing well as their music is slowly being appreciated internationally.

“Zimdancehall music is really growing and what I like the most is that the artistes are coming up with so much maturity. Their production as well has improved greatly. There’s no way we can talk about Zimbabwe music without Zimdancehall as these artistes have put the genre on the international market,” DJ Kivo said.

“Their music has become sought after in the UK as it has the original feel of Zimbabwe music mixed with Zimdancehall such as ExQ and Freeman’s Nzenza track; it’s quite a hit out there.”

DJ Kivo, who plays reggae/dancehall music at different spots in the UK during his free time, urged fellow DJs in the diaspora to include Zimdancehall music on their sets.

“DJs who’re abroad shouldn’t be shy to play Zimdancehall music as it now has a following internationally. This is how Nigerian music was popularised outside its country, its DJs played it with pride and we should do the same.”

During the Dancehall Reunion, professional videographer, Vidich Mashiri, who travelled with Kivo from the UK, filmed the show. Kivo said the clips would be documented and shared on social media for those who did not attend the event.

DJ Kivo said he was looking forward to staging another show at the Solomon’s Café on New Year’s Eve and wished DJ Stavo well.

“I wish DJ Stavo well this weekend when he plays in Kwekwe. I have a good working relationship with him especially because we both have the Midlands province at heart and want it to always be exposed to quality entertainment.”

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