Zara dates Zimbabwe

Zahara

Zahara, the most popular and celebrated musician in South Africa today, is set to hold two concerts in Harare and Bulawayo next month. Tawanda Chingarah, Pandave Entertainment concerts manager confirmed the upcoming gigs. “I can confirm that everything is set to bring Zahara to Zimbabwe for a concert at the Harare International Conference Centre on March 2 and in Bulawayo in the same week.” 

Zahara released her debut album Loliwe in 2011 which proved to be a big success as it went Platinum in 13 days and double platinum after just 17 days, selling over 100 000 copies in South Africa. Wikipedia said this made her the second musician after the late great Brenda Fassie to reach this figure in such record time. Zimbabwe Radio stations were awash with music from the album last year. 

Her music is classified loosely as “Afrosoul” and she sings in her native language, Xhosa, as well as in English. Her music has been described as a mixture between the styles that have been popularised by Tracy Chapman. The singer born as Bulelwa Mkutukana in the Phumlani informal settlement outside of East London in Eastern Cape, South Africa won two awards for her album last year. 

She won Song of The Year award for Loliwe at the Metro FM Music Awards and 2011 Best Female Album at the Metro FM Music Awards. A South African newspaper said the 23-year-old acoustic guitarist, singer-songwriter and poet is so talented that some industry professionals are already seeing her as the answer to the late great Miriam Makheba. Zahara never trained as a musician but hers is a natural talent. 

She told a South African journalist that she does not even know the names of the chords she plays on her acoustic guitar. “It’s funny because I only started to know that I was playing chord ‘A’ or ‘B’ when I got to Jo’burg. All along I was just using my ears.” Pandave Entertainment who are bringing Zahara to Zimbabwe was formed on May 31, 2010 and started operations on the first of January 2012. 

Martin Makaya the company’s Director said, “Pandave Entertainment is a registered entertainment entity that excels in organising all forms of entertainment and retail of various products found in the entertainment industry." “To date we are one of the biggest local companies that at a formal level deliver professionally organised entertainment in Zimbabwe.” Makaya said his company boasts of six core values that aid their delivery.

“We work with integrity and professionalism; we deliver on our promise, being true to self and others with unparalleled discipline." "We offer quality service and we value fun, celebrating life in a disciplined way ensuring client satisfaction, flexibility and stakeholder relevance and maximising employee potential and quality of life.” Pandave Entertainment joins the growing numbers of music promoters. 

Local music lovers have been spoilt lately with international and regional music acts with the most memorable being Akon for RnB fans and recently Jamaican Mavado for dancehall fans. Chingarah said information on entry fees and where to obtain tickets would soon be announced for both shows. (herald)