Martin Muleya
The 2025 edition of the quarter of a century old Chibuku Road to Fame begins this weekend amid pomp and fanfare. This year marks a major milestone- 25 years of discovering and promoting Zimbabwean budding musical talent.
In partnership with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ), this platform is more than just about the music, it is about uplifting the arts and empowering upcoming artists.
This year’s competition will be held under the theme “25 Years of Discovering Talent” where six joint provincial finals will be held with each province featuring 20 groups while three winners will be selected.
The provincial competitions will run from August 23 to October 4 2025 where top 10 groups will compete for the ultimate title.
The date and venue for the national finals are yet to be made public. Mat North Afro fusion outfit, Kwaseka Band walked away the winners in 2024 at an event held at the Glamis Arena in Harare in November.
In a telephone interview, NACZ provincial manager Caroline Makoni highlighted that the competition has come of age acting as a springboard for many artists to stardom.
“The programme has come out of age. It has been a springboard for many artists, the likes of which are, inter alia, First Farai, Romeo Gasa and D.T. Bio Mudimba. Some of the groups on the provincial finals are Vhunze, Ntswai Ntswai Academy and Watsomba stars,” Makoni explained.
During the provincial finals, the winner will walk away with $2 500 while second placed will get $1 500 and third placed will get $1 000.
The Chibuku brand is all about nourishing the bonds of brotherhood amongst its consumers through music and dance. This year’s edition promises to be an exciting celebration of Zimbabwe’s musical heritage, with communities coming together to support the next generation of rising stars.
