It takes hard work, determination and passion to ace something that you love the most, and working with a team with the same vision as yours, the final product is always top notch.
A couple of weeks ago earGROUND and Gateway Stream hosted the first edition of the Amplifaya Festival whose solitary aim is to amplify budding voices in the entertainment industry in Zimbabwe.
The Festival was the talk of the town ever since it was announced and it attracted young music consumers around the country who wanted a taste of music, fashion and dance from Zimbabwe’s upcoming artists.
The organisers really did a good job in marketing the festival. With the use of mainstream media, social media and influencers, Amplifaya Festival became one of the most marketed events in the country this year.
The two-day event kicked off with the Amplifaya Creative Entrepreneurship Programme (ACEP) where young creatives were capacitated with training and support on how to manoeuvre in the entertainment industry.
The second and final day was the main event, where the new voices (some of them established) were set to perform at the Heritage Park, Rainbow Towers in Harare. On this day, credit has to be given to Zar Events, the producers of the show. Their stage set-up and lighting was pure class, something that other shows that have run for years have failed.
Branding was also something the organisers made sure was done perfectly. There were banners scattered around Heritage Park, some with performing artists’ line up, something that is never seen at other events. This obviously boosted the young artists’ confidence, they felt honoured.
For the performers, they all brought their A-game to the festival, early birds managed to witness the rhumba ensemble Yenge Family. They performed with a live band and proved that rhumba is still alive in Zimbabwe.
The DJs for the night might have stolen the show if you are to ask others, DJ Krimz made people stay on their feet with local and international Hip Hop, Ace Frvr is a mix master, his Amapiano set was something else and DJ King Her did the things with local music.
Dancehall Kedha whom many were looking forward to watch did not disappoint and performing with a band was an icing on the cake.
One of the budding artists who had a superb performance at the festival was Bulawayo’s Tebza. The boy is a superstar, he knows how to communicate with the crowds. He had so much energy during his performance. His sleek dance moves wowed the crowds and if he gets more opportunities like these, he will go places.
Man of the moment Andrea The Vocalist also came to the party well prepared and we have to admit, he is loved by everyone. He managed to sample some of the new music that he recently recorded when he went to South Africa.
Noluntu J and Kayla Blac understood the assignment, they serenaded the crowds. Noluntu’s traditional outfit and Kayla’s set added sparkle and classiness to their performances. The same can also be said about the likes of MJ Sings and Murphy Cubic.
Some of the established artists like Ishan brought down the house, the Lola hit-maker is pure class. He proved that he is an ‘export material’. Takura, Nyasha David, Ti Gonzi and pretty much every artist brought their A-game, only that some had more fans and seemed to have stolen the show, but if one has an eye for talent, they would see how almost all of them rose to the occasion.
For first timers, Amplifaya Festival was the most successful show I have ever attended. However, the organisers need to fix a few things. I know they would have incurred massive costs to host it, but, the pricing might need to be reviewed. This was the most talked about show in the streets but many people ended up complaining about the pricing.
Maybe, just like other festivals or shows, they should reduce the entrance fee, or rather allow people to enter with cooler boxes and food. Many people really want to vibe while drinking and eating, and the drinks inside were too expensive for their target market, the youths.
Overall, I really cannot wait for the second edition. I also cannot wait to see where the artists that performed at the maiden festival go, they were capacitated and a lot is expected from them. A big shout out earGROUND and Gateway Stream, they really set the bar higher with Amplifaya Festival.
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