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Neo Dube Releases New Single, Receives Metro FM Awards Nomination

Multi-talented artist Neo Dube, known for her dynamic presence as a musician, filmmaker, and PR strategist, has officially released her latest single, Indawenhle.

 

The track is a soulful celebration of love, connection, and the joy of finding solace in sacred spaces.

Blending rich, emotive vocals with a seamless fusion of soul, jazz, and Afro-inspired rhythms, Indawenhle is a testament to Neo’s dedication to authentic storytelling.

Drawing from her cultural heritage and personal experiences, the song resonates deeply with audiences across generations.

Indawenhle is about celebrating life’s intimate moments and the joy of finding a place where your heart feels at home,” Neo shared. “It’s a song that speaks to the beauty of love, faith, and belonging.”

With its powerful lyrics and uplifting rhythm, Indawenhle has already started making waves on digital platforms and is set to become a fan favourite on radio.

The single showcases Neo’s versatility and commitment to creating music that inspires and connects.

In exciting news, Neo Dube has also been nominated for Best New Artist at the Metro FM Music Awards 2025. This recognition underscores her rising star status and acknowledges her exceptional contribution to the South African music scene.

“I’m deeply humbled by this nomination and excited for what’s to come,” Neo said. “It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication I’ve put into my music and the support I’ve received from my fans.”

ZIFA Launches “Roots & Dreams” UK Tour to Engage Diaspora Youth for Warriors’ Future

The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has unveiled an ambitious diaspora engagement program titled “Roots & Dreams: A Conversation with ZIFA”, targeting UK-based young footballers of Zimbabwean heritage.

 

The initiative will see ZIFA President Nqobile Magwizi and Warriors head coach Michael Nees host interactive sessions in London and Birmingham this month.

The events, scheduled for 23-24 April 2025, aim to strengthen ties with Zimbabwe’s football diaspora while identifying potential future national team players.

Youth footballers born in 2011 or earlier are particularly encouraged to attend with their families and coaches.

Event Details

  • London: 23 April, 6:30 PM at Nyaradzo House (Letchworth Garden City)
  • Birmingham: 24 April, 6:30 PM at Diaspora Insurance House (Rednal)

The sessions will provide:
✓ Direct access to ZIFA leadership and technical staff
✓ Insights into Zimbabwe’s football development pathways
✓ Networking opportunities with diaspora football communities

The initiative comes as ZIFA intensifies efforts to harness global Zimbabwean talent, following recent successes with diaspora players in South Africa and Europe.

Families of eligible players are urged to register attendance via ZIFA’s official channels.

Featured image: 16-year-old Teshaun Tarumbidzwa Murisa training with Arsenal’s first team ahead of their away leg against Real Madrid.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo Celebrate 65 years in the Music industry

The internationally acclaimed and 5 time Grammy award-winning group Ladysmith Black Mambazo is commemorating an incredible milestone of 65 years in the music industry.

 

As Ladysmith Black Mambazo wraps up their highly acclaimed US tour on April 5th, the legendary ensemble are gearing up to bring their signature sound back to their homeland, South Africa.

They are set to take center stage at the iconic Joburg Theatre, from May 1st to May 4th at Joburg Theatre treating audiences to a treasure trove of their timeless classics, including “Nomathemba” and “Homeless,” as well as their latest releases and unreleased tracks.

After their captivating performances in Johannesburg, Ladysmith Black Mambazo will continue their national tour, bringing their melodic harmonies and infectious rhythms to cities like Cape Town, Durban, and Pretoria.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo was formed in 1960 by its Founder the late Dr Joseph Shabalala. His work as an incredible leader, producer and songwriter of note put Ladysmith Black Mambazo on the world map.

His work continued to have global prominence beyond 60 decades since the group was established .

Apart from winning the world’s best global accolades including Grammy awards, they collaborated with the world’s best global stars like Paul Simon, Steve Wonder, Michaela Jackson, The Winans, Dolly Parton and many others.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo is on a mission to preserve the legacy of the group and its founder by building a music academy in Ladysmith where they will teach Indigenous music and the business of music to young and aspiring artists throughout the country.

The institution will be built in Ladysmith in Kwazulu Natal where the group originates.

This was the late founder of the group Dr Joseph Shabalalas’s dream of creating a music hub where great talent can be nurtured and developed.

Hat-Trick Donors: Kwekwe United Defence Under Siege

In what is shaping up to be a turbulent maiden campaign in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, Kwekwe United have found themselves on the receiving end of an unwanted statistic — conceding two hat-tricks in just the opening rounds of the season.

 

For a team that entered the topflight with hopes of proving their mettle, the Midlands side has instead become synonymous with leaky defending and heavy scorelines.

Their latest collapse came on Saturday, when ZPC Kariba’s Charles Munyanyi netted three goals in a dominant 5-0 rout.

That strike followed a similar humiliation earlier in the season when Highlanders’ Brighton “MaNinja” Ncube notched the league’s first hat-trick in a 4-0 drubbing at Barbourfields Stadium.

To concede one hat-trick in a season may be forgivable — a lapse, a bad day at the office.

But two, and so early in the campaign, raises red flags that go beyond mere tactics.

Kwekwe United’s defensive unit appears overwhelmed, disjointed, and without leadership — a backline crying out for organisation and grit.

Off-field chaos has only worsened matters. Reports of players boycotting training sessions and refusing to board matchday buses due to unpaid salaries paint a picture of a club in disarray.

Morale, clearly, is at rock bottom. And in a league where discipline and preparation are everything, such instability almost certainly translates to poor performances on the pitch.

Next on the fixture list is Herentals College, a side likely licking their lips at the thought of facing what is currently the PSL’s most porous defence.

Unless there is a swift resolution to the club’s financial issues and an urgent restructuring of their defensive approach, Kwekwe United risk becoming the division’s whipping boys — donors of goals, hat-tricks and precious points.

The Midlands faithful deserve better. But for now, the grim reality is that every fixture brings with it the threat of another thrashing.

 

Matchday 6 – Castle Lager PSL Results:

Simba Bhora 4-1 Manica Diamonds

Telone 2-1 Ngezi Platinum

Yadah 1-1 Scottland

FC Platinum 0-0 Greenfuel

Bikita Minerals 2-1 Triangle United

ZPC Kariba 5-0 Kwekwe United

Highlanders 1-0 CAPS United

Dynamos 0-1 Chicken Inn

Herentals 0-1 MWOS

ZVRI & Kususa’s “Danger Zone” Secures Major Sync Placement in Viola Davis Amazon Film G20

Electronic music artists ZVRI and Kususa continue their global rise with the latest international sync placement.

 

Their collaborative track, Danger Zone featuring DJ Tira, has been selected for inclusion in the Amazon MGM Studios and MRC Film production G20, starring Academy Award-winner Viola Davis.

The placement is the result of a strong collaborative effort between Warner Music Africa and Africori.

Directed by Patricia Riggen (The 33), G20 is a high-stakes action-thriller centred around a terrorist takeover of the G20 Summit.

Viola Davis stars as U.S. President Taylor Sutton, who must rely on her military training and diplomatic expertise to protect her family, world leaders, and prevent global catastrophe.

Danger Zone features during one of the film’s intense fight sequences, enhancing the scene’s tension with its pulsating basslines, tribal-infused rhythms, and electrifying energy.

Originally released on December 2, 2022, the track is a bold fusion of Gqom and Afro House distinctive of ZVRI and Kususa’s innovative sound, and elevated by DJ Tira’s dynamic contribution.

This sync placement marks a significant milestone for the artists involved and for South African electronic music at large.

It highlights the expanding global footprint of homegrown genres like Gqom and Afro House, affirming their cultural impact and appeal in international media.

“This sync isn’t just a win for the artists, it’s a win for the movement. Danger Zone is part of a broader cultural wave that’s taking South African music to the world,” says Sakhile Ntshangase, Sync Manager at Warner Music Africa.

Texpo 25 Hackathon Finalists Announced

The organisers of Texpo 25 are pleased to announce the teams selected to participate in this year’s Hackathon.

 

The calibre of the entries to the Texpo Hackathon this year has been particularly impressive. These eight (8) teams have qualified with exceptional solutions and presentations.

TeamChallenge
Kinetic CanvasMoCap4All
Tech TitansCrowdBeats
CtrlAltWinTuneTrack
Syntax SquadTuneTrack
CAFFIENE.EXEMoCap4All
HackletesTuneTrack
Music ClustersEchoes of Africa
Cyber WolvesMoCap4All

 

The preselection team took on the difficult task of scoring the teams over the weekend.

They used a pre-designed rubric that took into account Innovation, feasibility, technical execution, potential impact and presentation quality to score the teams and used the final scores to rate the teams that made it through to the Hackathon.

The rubric was designed in such a way that the creativity, potential business application and Technical feasibility of the solutions were the important aspects used to rate the proposed solutions.

Hackathon Challenges
Teams will be working on four innovative challenges:

 The winning team will be taken on a Technology Immersion trip to Cape Town, South Africa.

The Hackathon will take place during Texpo25 from 21-25 April 2025 at the Zimbabwe Academy of Music in Bulawayo.

The final presentations and prize giving for the Hackathon will take place on Thursday 24 April 2025.

Technology Expo (TeXpo) is a showcase of contemporary and emerging technologies.

TeXpo creates a platform for technology stakeholders, educators, and students to share experiences, learn about, and experience the technologies that are transforming life today and re-defining the future.

It brings together technology experts from across sectors to showcase the utility of technologies that are impacting the way we live and work.

In Zimbabwe’s vibrant music industry, artists like Tendai “TeeJay” Nyandoro and Ruvimbo “RuviBeats” Moyo struggle to receive fair royalties for their work. FM stations, online streaming platforms, and bars play their songs, but without an automated tracking system, these artists lack proof of airplay.

Royalties are lost, disputes arise, and many broadcasters underreport usage, either unintentionally or deliberately.

The Challenge:

Design a low-cost, Raspberry Pi-based solution that can:

  1. Listen & Recognize – Capture and identify songs playing on FM radio and online streams using audio fingerprinting.
  2. Timestamp & Log – Record the date, time, station, and frequency each time a song plays.
  3. Automate Reporting – Generate a quarterly statement of airplay and send it to the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) and respective stations.

Constraints:

  • Use Raspberry Pi 4, Pico, and other affordable components.
  • Work in environments with low internet connectivity and still store offline logs.
  • Ensure tamper-proof and auditable data logging.

Stanbic Bank launches business clinics for SMEs

Stanbic Bank Zimbabwe has begun a series of business clinics at its Incubator Hub to help many selected small and medium-sized enterprises tackle challenges they face and improve their business prospects and processes.

 

The first clinics, which have been dubbed Level-Up Business Clinics, following the Starter-Up Incubation programme the bank inaugurated last year for about 40 entrepreneurs, some of whom are among the 63 entrepreneurs expected to benefit from this clinic.

Auxilia Kambasha, Head of Enterprise Banking, emphasised the Incubator Hub’s role in supporting SMEs by understanding their unique challenges

“For Stanbic Bank  to identify the best interventions for entrepreneurs we need to appreciate their challenges and their realities, such as tax compliance, market access difficulties and funding limitations,” she said.

“If a business is not registered as a company and the books are not in order, it is difficult to obtain a bank loan. If a business has employees, it follows that a human resources policy or structure is required. Family businesses need a clear assignment of roles and a succession plan so that the business can continue for generations to come.

“Where some of these things are lacking, we offer advice and training to improve the business’s capacity and prospects of success,” she said.

Some of the entrepreneurs who attended the Starter-Up programme have begun to see an increase in revenues, while others are now employing more people, Kambasha said.

The Level-Up clinics, which will continue until May, involve diagnosis and treatment, she said. The core objective is to continue building capacity for SMEs.

There are five clinics, each dealing with a particular area. These are financial management, human resources management, branding and marketing, funding and mentorship. Each clinic has six sessions. Participants have been assigned to the two clinics judged most appropriate for their needs or three at the most, Kambasha  said.

Towards the end of the programme participants will make presentations on what they have learnt, how they intend to go forward with their business and, if they are in need of funding, how much funding they require.

Those judged to have proved that they are ready to grow their business will have the opportunity to obtain funding from the bank.

There will be three follow-up sessions after the programme has ended to assess how the businesses are doing and what further may need to be done.

Stanbic Bank’s business clinics represent a strategic effort to bolster the SME sector by equipping entrepreneurs with essential skills and resources, thereby contributing to Zimbabwe’s broader economic development.

Harmonies of Expression: Celebrating Zimbabwe-EU Art & Climate Awareness

EUNIC Zimbabwe has announced the “Harmonies of Expression – connecting art, heart and science” a dynamic showcase of artistic collaboration and cultural exchange between Europe and Zimbabwe, culminating in a main exhibition in Harare on May 10th, 2025.

 

This groundbreaking event brings together Zimbabwean creative practitioners and artists from across Europe to explore the intersection of art and science, with a focus on creating emotional resonance to the topic of climate change.

EUNIC Zimbabwe is a cluster of European Embassies and Institutes in Zimbabwe whose vision is to promote exchange between European and Zimbabwean artists and cultural organisations and support a dynamic and inclusive cultural landscape in Zimbabwe that fosters mutual understanding, intercultural dialogue and sustainable development.

“Harmonies of Expression” will feature a diverse array of artistic presentations, resulting from unique collaborations between Zimbabwean and European creatives.

On May 10, attendees can expect to experience:

  • Culinary arts combined with dance
  • Music performances
  • Furniture and crafts made from recycled materials
  • Repurposed fashion designs
  • Fashion combined with fine art
  • Photography blended with mixed media

These presentations will feature collaborations between Zimbabwean artists and creatives with origins in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.

The event will broadcast in local languages to 14 community radio stations across Zimbabwe, amplifying the voices of artists and communities beyond the capital city.

A highlight of the day will be a panel discussion on climate change in Zimbabwe, with a special focus on water resources and changing rain patterns.

This discussion will feature experts, artists and community representatives, offering diverse perspectives on how to address this critical issue.

“Harmonies of Expression” is more than just an art exhibition; it is a platform for dialogue, collaboration and action.

By bringing together artists from different backgrounds and disciplines, EUNIC Zimbabwe aims to foster deep and long-lasting partnerships between participating countries and to inspire audiences to engage with the challenges brought on by climate change in new and meaningful ways.

The event is open to the public and free of charge. It will take place at a yet to be disclosed venue on May 10th, 2025, from noon to 8pm. We invite art enthusiasts, climate change advocates and the general public to attend this unique and inspiring event.

Harmonies of Expression is a project by EUNIC Zimbabwe and National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, Oxfam Zimbabwe, National Association of Community Broadcasters and earGround.

European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) – is Europe’s network of national cultural institutes and organisations, with 39 members from all EU Member States and associate countries.

“Calling Us Home” – A Grand African Musical Coming to Harare

SHY MUSIC has announced the arrival of Calling Us Home – a groundbreaking musical set to captivate audiences at The REPS Theatre in Harare from 26 to 28 September 2025.

 

Tickets are now on sale for what promises to be an unforgettable theatrical experience, blending powerful storytelling, music and breathtaking visuals.

Set across two continents, Calling Us Home follows the journey of Grace, an African princess forced to flee her war-torn homeland.

Penniless and alone, she finds herself in the harsh, unforgiving docklands of an American city, where she encounters both danger and unexpected love.

The musical weaves themes of hope, courage, and the unbreakable human spirit, offering a narrative that resonates deeply with African and global audiences alike.

Originally staged in Cape Town in 2023 to critical acclaim, Calling Us Home is a rare feat—a grand-scale musical opera entirely conceived and produced in Africa.

The touring cast features performers from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Angola, and the U.S., supported by an international creative team, including:

  • Writer & Composer Alice Gillham (Cape Town)
  • Director Peter Flynn (New York) – the first American to tour a full-scale original musical in Southern Africa
  • Costume Designer Pei Lee (Taiwan & Washington DC)
  • Music Director Renée Gamez (Mexico & USA)

Beyond entertainment, SHY MUSIC and PROSOUND are pioneering an Education and Development Programme alongside the tour.

This initiative will offer aspiring artists and technicians interactive workshops, talks, and mentorship sessions with the cast and crew, providing invaluable insights into large-scale musical production.

Gospel Star Chandler Moore Returns to Zimbabwe for Omemma Tour

Fresh off his electrifying debut in Zimbabwe last year with Maverick City Music, celebrated gospel artist Chandler Moore is set to make a return to the country next week.

 

The Grammy-winning worship leader will headline the Omemma Tour at Harare’s Belgravia Sports Club on April 11, for a night of praise and worship.

Joining Chandler Moore will be Annatoria, the Zimbabwean-born gospel sensation who rose to fame on The Voice UK, alongside renowned local minister Michael Mahendere.

The lineup also features rising talent Cleo Arie, worship leader Ezekiel Paul and the dynamic ensemble Covenant Praise.

Adding a soulful touch to the evening, saxophonist Bigstar Nash will open the concert with his stirring melodies.

The event, organised by Events by GEC, has built a reputation for delivering high-quality gospel experiences, following successful past shows like the Kingdom World Tour (featuring Maverick City Music) and February’s Young and Chosen Tour with Limoblaze and Joe L. Barnes.

Pastor Lincolyn Kapswara of Events by GEC and event director, emphasised the inclusive spirit of the gathering.

“This is a really good opportunity to be in the presence of God in a safe space with family and friends. We always make sure children five years and below enter free, so everyone can worship together under the banner of Jesus Christ.”

With a mix of international star power and homegrown talent, the Omemma Tour is poised to be one of Zimbabwe’s most uplifting gospel events of the year.

Tickets for general access are priced at $30, with a limited-time double-deal promotion of $20 for two tickets (valid until April 4).

VIP passes are available for $50 and tickets can be purchased at select Booties Pharmacies outlets.