The Zimbabwe Sphere

28/10/2025

Mega Market Mountaineers reinforce squad for titles defence

MOUNTAINEERS have assembled squad reinforcements to defend their Pro50 Championship and Logan Cup trophies as the 2025/2026 domestic cricket season in Zimbabwe gets underway.

Former Zimbabwe Cricket top order batsman Stuart Matsikenyeri will continue as head coach leading a technical team comprising of his assistant manager Donald Tiripano and player-coach Tendai Chatara.

Speaking in an interview with this publication, Matsikenyeri said he was excited to be coming into the new season and the endless possibilities this new journey in his career holds.

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Mega Market Mountaineers set their sights on defending their titles as the 2025/26 domestic cricket season in Zimbabwe gets underway.

28/10/2025

A first for the country: The Zimbabwe Beauty Industry Awards celebrate innovation, empowerment and growth

Finally, a platform to honour the beauty sector maestros has arrived. The inaugural Zimbabwe Beauty Industry Awards (ZBIA) are here and the launch of this much-needed platform celebrating the excellence in the country’s fast-growing beauty and wellness scene is cause for celebration. This pioneering initiative, a first of its kind in Zimbabwe, will mark a historic milestone for an industry that has long operated without formal recognition of the talent it holds. Forget it being all about the glitz and glamour; of course that’s part of the proceedings, but the crux of the matter here is that at last, a stage to celebrate the industry’s service providers has now come to life.

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The inaugural Zimbabwe Beauty Industry Awards (ZBIA) are here and will be held on 1 November 2025 at Cresta Lodge in Harare

24/10/2025

Phreshy returns with Facade — a reminder that sometimes the loudest smiles hide the deepest pain. After Chakafukidza and Wangu ft. Young Gemini, Phreshy dives deeper, urging us to look beyond the filters and check up on each other. In a world where everyone’s putting on a facade, this song is a soft call to care, to listen, to ask, and to be there. Produced by Elcee Gweja, Facade dropped Thursday, 23 October 2025, on all streaming platforms.

11/10/2025

Indigo Saint: The Enduring Legacy of Bulawayo’s Hip Hop Auteur

"The Lyricist

From his formative days of beat poetry and underground cyphers, Indigo Saint’s catalog has always leaned toward the introspective. He possesses the rare gift of blending thought piece lyricism with a palpable sense of mood and movement. Indigo is a lyrical architect, building dense but breathable structures that make space for both the casual head nodder and the close reading enthusiast.

There’s a narrative symmetry to his bars, an intellectual cadence that threads philosophy, politics, love, and existential fatigue. His work is a personal memoir and sociocultural document.

But for all his cerebral intricacy, Indigo’s recent trajectory has revealed a different mode — a desire to transcend the false binaries between 'hard bars' and 'feel-good radio spins.' On his songs like “Mdali” and “Girls Like You” (in all their three incarnations), Indigo flirts with pop polish while never abandoning the scaffolding of his high lyrical standards.

“It’s gotten to a point where I don’t need to prove myself anymore,” he says with quiet defiance. “I’m that guy and I’m that guy when I want to be.”

10/10/2025

SOUNDS IN THE SPHERE: Confronts Heartbreak and Manipulation on “What You Made Me”

At first listen, the lyrics carry a sense of contradiction. “I’m glad you had your fun,” she sings, even as the rest of the song seethes with pain, bitterness, and disappointment. But it’s in this tension that SAIIREN’s song shines. That line isn’t about forgiveness or acceptance—it’s a cutting remark, a sarcastic closure offered to someone who thrived on playing with her emotions. It’s a bitter acknowledgment of wasted love, twisted into fuel for transformation.

Across the track, SAIIREN moves through the shadows of manipulation, being gaslit, feeling like a fool yet the delivery never feels defeated. Instead, her voice rises with a controlled fury, as if reclaiming space that had been denied to her.

READ MORE:https://www.zimsphere.co.zw/2025/10/sounds-in-sphere-saiiren-confronts.html?m=1

10/10/2025

EP Review: Takunda Kurinyepa 's 'argh, honestly nevermind

There’s something about Takunda’s voice that feels like it was built for RnB — smooth, and emotionally charged in ways few can replicate. He is one of the best new voices in Zimbabwean music across all genres. You can stop reading this and go listen to his music right now. This is a brilliant body of work that belongs on your playlist. Despite the seemingly casual shrug in the title "argh, honestly nevermind", Takunda is very much “minding”. Minding every heartbreak, betrayal, and emotional twist he’s been through. He is minding a little too much but for someone "akarohwa chadonha" (euphemism for getting scammed), it makes sense.

READ MORE:https://www.zimsphere.co.zw/2025/10/ep-review-takundas-argh-honestly.html?m=1

10/10/2025

SOUNDS IN THE SPHERE: ’s “Ingoma Ka Ma” is a Beautiful, Loving Rememberance Of Her Mother

Translated as My Mother’s Song, Ingoma Ka Ma is Luchi Shiki’s most personal offering to date. It is a moving dedication to her late mother, who passed away when she was only nine years old. In her own words, she never got the chance to sing any of her recorded music for her mother. This single, therefore, stands as both a tribute and a promise — to make her mother proud even from the grave.

Every note, every lyric, is a daughter’s vow: to show the world that her mother raised her well, that she instilled intelligence, strength, and creativity in her. In many ways, Ingoma Ka Ma captures what every daughter hopes for — to live a life that reflects the sacrifices, love, and guidance of their mothers.

READ MORE: https://www.zimsphere.co.zw/2025/10/sounds-in-sphere-luchi-shikis-ingoma-ka.html?m=1

03/10/2025

Review: ’s “Yours Chete” – A Solemn Oath of Love and Devotion

Tama Kasepa, known in the music circuit for his dual mastery as a drummer and vocalist, steps forward with a deeply personal single in “Yours Chete.” Released on September 8, 2025, the record marks another chapter in his evolution from session musician and collaborator to fully-fledged solo artist.

Where past works leaned into worship and collaborative storytelling, “Yours Chete” sharpens focus onto the intimate and vulnerable space of love.
At its core, the song is a simple yet keen profession: “ndiri wako, dai waita wangu” — “I am yours, I hope you also become mine.” That repetition carries weight, shaping the track as a vow of faithfulness, a pledge to belong to one person and no one else. In this, “Yours Chete” frames love not just as an emotion, but as a conscious commitment.

What stands out is Tama’s lyrical positioning. Beyond professing love, there’s an undercurrent of provision — the idea of wanting to give, to provide, to do everything possible for the partner if circumstances allow. That tension between desire and means injects realism, pulling the track away from mere romantic idealism into the realm of lived experience.

Coming from an artist who has spent over a decade bridging rhythm, melody, and message from his work with Freeman to his contributions on Fig Worship Culture’s live projects — “Yours Chete” feels like a crystallization of his solo vision. Tama is no longer just an instrumentalist behind the kit; here, he is storyteller, confessor, and craftsman of emotion.

stream:https://youtu.be/lAuScX5PWGk?si=VZFk_7PUZDIAWo5r

23/09/2025

Africa Reclaims Its Digital Narrative at The Hub Unconference 2025|

The battle for Africa’s digital future returns to the spotlight this week as the Hub Unconference kicks off its 11th edition on September 24–25 at Harare Gardens. Positioned as Zimbabwe’s leading annual gathering on digital media, civic tech, and the creative economy, this year’s theme is: Decolonize the Internet.

Running in the build up to Shoko Festival, the Unconference has become a fixture in conversations about Africa’s role in the digital sphere. The 2025 edition is set to bring together over 30 voices from seven African countries — spanning artists, activists, academics, journalists, and technologists.

The call to decolonize the internet is more than just rhetoric. In an era where Artificial Intelligence fuels profits for Big Tech while perpetuating Western bias and environmental disruption, the Hub is demanding alternative digital spaces that reflect African realities. Expect deep dives into algorithmic bias, digital storytelling, data sovereignty, and internet governance.

The lineup is as vibrant as it is diverse: Botswana’s Goitse Kwada, Burkina Faso’s Martial Panucci, Uganda’s Antonio Kisemboi and Kikaawa Nantume, Malawi’s Willson Chivhanga, South Africa’s Dean Bhebhe, and Kenya’s Mufasa Poet and Justine Wanda. From Zimbabwe, household names like King Kandoro, ProBeatz, and keynote speaker Takura Zhangazha will anchor the conversations.

“This year’s theme, Decolonize the Internet, challenges colonial legacies embedded in internet infrastructure, biased AI, and foreign misinformation while calling on Africans to reclaim our digital narratives,” said Takudzwa Musakasa, the Hub Unconference Coordinator.

The programme doesn’t stick to stiff panels and lectures. Instead, it experiments with fireside chats, lightning talks, live podcast recordings, skill shares, debates, and interactive showcases. The Open Data Africa Summit will also run as part of the event, interrogating who profits from Africa’s “data goldmine” and how the continent can leverage its own digital resources for transparency and innovation.

The Hub has steadily become a space where young Zimbabwean and African media innovators can connect and prototype new futures. “One of our visions has been to use the Hub Unconference to create a space where all Zimbabwean media & tech colleges and universities can connect, collaborate, and give birth to new ideas to drive forward Africa’s alternative digital & media sectors and we are getting there,” Musakasa added.

Entry remains free, with RSVPs encouraged for planning. Backed by CHARM Africa — a consortium of human rights, media, and civic freedom organisations — the Hub continues to grow its reputation as one of the continent’s most important spaces for reimagining the digital ecosystem.
From its beginnings alongside Shoko Festival under Magamba Network, the Unconference has hosted names like CNN’s Robyn Kriel and The Guardian UK’s Alice McCool.

11/09/2025

Reason & OneDa Complete Shoko Festival's Mash Up Night Line-up

Harare - Zimbabwe's longest running festival of urban culture, Shoko Festival, is set to ignite Harare with a monumental 15th edition, and the final headliners for the highly anticipated Mash Up Night have just been announced. The festival is bringing some serious heat, with South African Hip Hop legend turned Amapiano sensation Reason AKA Sizwe Alakine and the UK's award winning rapper, OneDa, completing the line up.

The Mash Up Night is happening on Friday, September 26th, at Harare Gardens.

A Clash of Giants: Hip Hop Meets Amapiano 🇿🇦

Reason AKA Sizwe Alakine, a South African Music Awards (SAMA) winner, is known for his versatility and seamless transition from being a respected hip hop artist to a force in the amapiano movement. He’s currently nominated for Best S.A Hip Hop Album of the Year. At Shoko, he's bringing a unique Hip Hop vs Amapiano Sound Clash experience, promising to take the audience on a musical journey through both his hip hop roots and his contemporary amapiano mastery.

According to Shoko Festival Director Samm Farai Monro AKA Comrade Fatso, Reason embodies this year's festival theme of building an urban culture legacy.

UK Rap's Finest Joins the Party 🇬🇧

Adding some international flair, OneDa, the award winning rapper, producer, and poet from Manchester, UK, is also set to grace the stage. Her sharp lyricism, melodic vocals, and punch lines set her apart. She has a knack for seamlessly blending old school and new school vibes and has garnered support from top radio stations like BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 1.

While in Zimbabwe, OneDa will be collaborating with rising Zimbabwean urban artists Yadis and Enhle. This collaboration, as Comrade Fatso explains, shows Shoko’s commitment to creating platforms for international growth for our local alternative urban artists.

More Fire on the Line-up!

These two powerhouse acts join an already lit line up featuring Zim hip hop star Sane Wav and legendary producer Take Fizzo. Fizzo will headline with an electrifying showcase of his greatest hits, featuring live performances from urban grooves pioneers like Mafriq, Trinity, MC Chita, Mau Mau, Tererai & Nembo Bwoy.

The festival will also feature a special collaboration between Kenyan spoken word artist Mufasa and the Arundel School Music Department's Jazz Band, Choir, and Orchestra, merging the power of spoken word with harmonic storytelling. Additionally, Zimbabwean urban artists Segulm, Briza, Paintafresco, Yadis, and Enhle will be performing brand new songs created during the Mashoko Tapes residency—a Shoko Festival initiative that brings artists together to create cutting-edge new work.

Beyond the Mash Up: Comedy and a Free Event!

The festival doesn’t stop there! The Comedy Night on Thursday, September 25th, will be headlined by comedy heavyweight King Kandoro, alongside Kenya’s satirical sensation Justine Wanda, and local talents Mike Chipere, Munya, Mbongeni Ignatius Ndlovu, and DJ Iroq.

The festival will wrap up with its main event, Peace In The Hood, a free event happening in Chitungwiza at the Unit L grounds. The lineup for this epic closing act includes Zim Hip Hop giant Bagga, Young Fantan, Runna Rulez, rising Zim Dancehall star Madedido, and chart-topper Jnr Spragga.

Tickets are available online at www.flippintickets.co.zw and at the Moto Republik box office. Early bird Mash Up Night tickets are just $10, while Comedy Night tickets are $15. You can also grab a combo ticket for both events for just $20.

Don't miss out on this year's Shoko Festival

10/09/2025

SOUNDS IN THE SPHERE: A retro review of 's 'Love and War'

When Stogie T released 'The Empire of Sheep' in 2019, he further cemented his reputation as one of the most thoughtful MCs on the continent – a lyricist who wields words like a historian, a griot, and a critic all at once. The project was born out of countless hours of dialogue between Stogie, his mother (an ex-guerrilla with uMkhonto weSizwe), and many others who had lived through South Africa’s armed struggle. It’s a body of work that dares to carry the weight of history, threading together stories that are heroic, treacherous, ugly, beautiful, and deeply human.

One of the standout cuts from the album, Love and War featuring the soulful Lucille Slade, is a haunting meditation on the contradictions of heroism. On the surface, the track honours the bravery of the South African liberation struggle’s foot soldiers. These were ordinary men and women who risked everything for freedom, their sacrifices permanently etched into the history books as valiant acts of radical resistance.

They are venerated as heroes and rightly so. But Stogie T refuses to romanticize without complication. He reminds us that war is not only the stuff of monuments and national anthems; war is also death, secrecy, and collateral damage in the most personal sense. He paints a true picture of the good and ugly of the struggle; bereft of any prevarication.

Read More 👉 https://www.zimsphere.co.zw/2025/08/sounds-in-sphere-retro-review-of-stogie.html?m=1

09/09/2025

Chevrons Show Fight but Struggle to Finish

Zimbabwe’s men’s cricket team has managed just one win in their last 15 internationals, that solitary victory coming in the second T20I of the just-ended series against Sri Lanka. But unlike the bruising defeats suffered over the winter against New Zealand and South Africa, the Chevrons put up a genuine scrap against the subcontinent side across five white-ball encounters (2 ODIs & 3 T20Is).

ODI Heartbreak: So Close, Yet So Far

The first ODI at Harare Sports Club had Zimbabwe chasing a stiff 299. With 10 runs needed off the last over and Sikandar Raza cruising on 92, hopes were sky-high. Enter Dilshan Madushanka. The left-arm quick produced a dream finish, taking a hat-trick in the 50th over to sn**ch victory for Sri Lanka and break Zimbabwean hearts.

The second ODI was another thriller. This time Sri Lanka were in the hunt, chasing 278. The Chevrons pushed the game deep, but the visitors crossed the line with three balls to spare and five wickets in hand.

Raza’s twin fifties in the series propelled him to the top of the ICC ODI rankings for all- rounders while Ben Curran’s purple patch in the format continued with two fifties, adding to his maiden century against Ireland earlier in the year.

T20Is: Fighting Scores, Familiar Failings

Zimbabwe went down 2–1 in the T20I series, but not without fireworks. In the defeats, they posted imposing scores — 177 in the opener and 191 in the decider — only to see Sri Lanka chase them down with worrying ease.

The shining moment came in the second match, where the Chevrons showed ruthless streak: skittling Sri Lanka for just 80, their second-lowest T20I total ever. That kind of killer instinct will be vital in the upcoming T20 regional qualifiers, where Zimbabwe enter as favourites. Still, T20 cricket is notorious for throwing up upsets, and the Chevrons will need to finish games, not just start brightly.

Road to Qualifiers: Namibia Up Next

As a dress rehearsal for the qualifiers, Zimbabwe will host Namibia in three T20Is at Queens Sports Club. Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has already unveiled the 16-man squad, with old warhorses Brendan Taylor and Sean Williams retained in the side alongside skipper Sikandar Raza.

Zimbabwe T20I Squad vs Namibia

Sikandar Raza (Captain), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Brad Evans, Trevor Gwandu, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams