Martin Muleya
Harare based Afro fusion band Chitima band emerged victorious at the Chibuku Road To Fame 2025 national finals, held at Gwanzura stadium over the weekend.
The group walked away with a grand prize of US$15 000 plus a recording contract, while All In One (Mashonaland West) claimed the second place walking away with US$10 000 and Simuniziva band (Matebeleland North) earned US$7 000 for landing on the third position.
Representing the capital city, Chitima outshone nine other competitors from across the country, delivering a captivating performance that impressed both the adjudicators and the crowd.
The competition featured talented groups from other provinces namely Core Vibes (Midlands), Dab Band (Bulawayo), Bolamba Culture Birds (Matebeleland South), Afro Pulse (Masvingo), Mnenga Band (Manicaland), Jungle Foxes (Mashonaland East) and DNA band (Mashonaland Central).
In an interview with The Midweek Watch after the competitions, Simuniziva band leader Leopatra Reid praised the organisers of the competition for supporting artists and providing opportunities for album recordings.
“We are happy to be part of Chibuku Road To Fame national finals. Our preparations were difficult and it being our first time to participate at a competition of this magnitude, we did not know what to expect or what to do. But what we delivered was worth the while for the adjudicators and we landed on third position. When we arrived we were anxious and being on big stage like this was overwhelming.
“I fully support Chibuku Road To Fame competition because they are supporting and discovering new artists from all the provinces. Even the album recordings is a good thing. As an artist it is difficult to get money or promotions to record an album no matter how many times we try. The competition is actually a good initiative that helps artists discover their worth,” she commented.
The Chibuku Road To Fame competition, now in its 25th year, is a collaboration between the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe and Delta Beverages, aiming to discover and nurture talent in the country.
