Some artists project a stage persona which differs markedly from their everyday personality. Nothing could be further from the truth as far as Stella Chiweshe is concerned. The 70+-year-old Shona singer, dancer and instrumentalist is the real deal.
Her singing and mbira (mbira dzavadzimu to give it its full name) playing are not just a joy to behold, they generally leave her audiences spellbound and elated. Mbira dzavadzimu is a sacred instrument used by the Shona people of Zimbabwe to call on the spirits of their ancestors.
Stella Chiweshe set out on the global African & world music circuit in the early 1980s and has released 8 albums under her name to date. She is a regular performer at the prestigious WOMAD world music festival, and has toured her inspirational music all over the world. Her endeavour and persistence has opened the door to other women to follow her musical, artistic and traditional social status-defying lead.
Today, Stella Chiweshe is a celebrity back home in Zimbabwe, continues to tour & record Europewide, and is founder of the Chivanhu Trust ‘so that our children will grow up knowing their culture‘