Talent, beer and pleasure
ALL is set for the Chibuku Road to Fame 2019 finale, which will be held this Saturday in the Glamis Arena in Harare.
The musical showcase is arguably one of Zimbabwe’s biggest and most successful talent identification rostrums. It is one of the most sought-after entertainment events on the local arts calendar.
Revellers get a chance to watch an array of budding and established artistes in action and free of charge.
And that is not all!
Beverages will be sold at “pump price”, which is to say Delta Beverages will be selling liquor directly to the customer at wholesale price.
At least 10 groups that came out tops at provincial competitions held in the past month across the country will be taking part at the contest.
The provincial representatives include Heart Attack (Mashonaland West), Tsitshi Super Stars (Bulawayo), Jesa (Harare), Eastern Ryders (Manicaland), One-on-One (Midlands), Dengedza Express (Bulilima), Identity (Masvingo), Shungu Moto Boys (Mashonaland East), Knight Sounds (Mashonaland Central) and Kweseka Band (Matabeleland North).
Genres to be represented at the competition include Afro-jazz, sungura, tshibilika, passada and rhumba-msebe.
This is a refreshing shift from the previous four or so editions that were dominated by sungura ensembles.
Winners of the national competition are expected to walk away with prize money and a possible recording contract, among other rewards. The finalists are currently polishing up their acts and they are expected to deliver flawless sets. Organisers of the event said they are good to go for the finale.
At a time when other high-profile arts events have fallen by the wayside due to the prevailing economic squeeze, they have defied the odds and are soldiering on with the 18-year-old event.
“Everything is on course and we now just await the big day. The economic environment is unstable but we will try our best to deliver a finale to remember,” pledged one of the organisers.
Chibuku Road to Fame is an annual music event organised by Delta Beverages through their Chibuku brand in conjunction with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe ( NACZ). The event aims to identify and nurture budding musicians’ talent.
During the course of the competition and even afterwards, aspiring musicians get an opportunity to interact with established artistes. Established in 2001, the competition has been instrumental in churning out a number of artistes.
Some have succeeded as group leaders while others have grown to become instrument players of repute.
Romeo Gasa, whose group Extra Valembe won in 2007 remains one of the best known success stories of the Chibuku Road to Fame thus far. But how has Gasa managed to stay afloat when others have sunk into oblivion?
“Chibuku Road to Fame was my passage to stardom. The guys helped put me on the map.
“Not only did they identify our group’s potential, they also helped us find our footing in the cut-throat music industry. I still implement some of the things I learnt through the competition.
“Thus I remain grateful to the organisers and hope they will continue making dreams come true for other potential stars out there,” said Gasa.
Other past winners include Blackface, Bopoma Stars, Club Shanga, Munandi Express, Terry and the Bliss, Hambakwe Stars, Adequate Sounds and The Travellers.
Jah Prayzah, Jah Signal, Baba Harare, Enzo Ishall and Templeman will add flair to the event through their pulsating performances.