Divas Ncube and WeUtonga bring Star Power to Book Café

Busi Ncube is one of Zimbabwe’s best known and well-loved singers and one of the members of the popular, iconic 80s band Ilanga. TheTrue Love singer has been singing since she was a young girl, and has forged an enviable career with hit songs sung in her classic, unmistakable voice. Her latest album “Salulandela” released in 2010, shows that she has lost none of her passion and is still as popular as ever. Ncube is based in Norway, sings in six different languages and has recorded 13 albums in her career. In 2011, she was nominated for a Songlines award, showing her relevance and continued appeal locally and internationally. The singer and mbira player last performed in Zimbabwe in December 2012. The sold out show at the Book Café with mbira player and singer Hope Masike, shows Zimbabwean audiences have a great deal of love for the legendary songstress.

Joining her onstage is the talented Edith Weutonga, passionate vocalist and one of a handful of female bass guitarists in the world. Edith began performing in Bulawayo with the all-female band Amakhosikazi, graduated to the band, So What? before forming her own band Edith Weutonga. Weutonga (which means “of the dawn”, signifying a new musical direction after she survived a serious car accident) made waves with her first album “Utonga” which features the hit tracks Chipendani, Mukaranga and Chipo. Her second album entitled “Kwacha” will be released later this month.

Edith Weutonga is a familiar face to Zimbabwe audiences as well as internationally. Last year she shared the stage with Publish the Quest and Ismael Lo at HIFA. This year, she was invited to perform at the prestigious Festival au Desert music festival in Mali in February. Due to internal political strife in Mali, the festival was postponed to July when Edith will travel to West Africa for the first time and also perform in Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal. She has already toured and been well-received in Kenya and Uganda.

Edith Weutonga and Busi Ncube will collaborate for a mainstage show at this year’s HIFA. The two women represent two different generations of music. With about twenty years of musical experience between them, Edith says “There is a mother/daughter relationship between us and Busi has really done a lot to guide me through the music business”. Of their Saturday performance, Edith says to expect a “spontaneous performance”, with the two women experimenting with their sounds to produce something different. On Saturday, the two women will give a preview of their highly anticipated HIFA show at the Book Café’s popular, intimate venue.

The Edith Weutonga and Busi Ncube show starts at 8pm at The Book Café, Saturday April 6. Don’t miss out on this unique collaboration: two talented divas pushing boundaries and melding their two musical sounds seamlessly, as they express their passion for music!