Entertainment Reporter
MBIRA player, Diana “Mangwenya” Samkange, yesterday saluted UK fans for showing her love during her ongoing tour.
She performed in Leicester last weekend alongside Alick Macheso, Lindsay Chamangurangura and South Africa’s Trompies, among others.
Mangwenya hailed fans for their support as she was returning to the UK for the fifth time.
“Leicester was eye-opening, I could see people getting surprised, amazed with how I was performing, and almost everyone had their phone out recording my set.
“What made our show unique was the fact that it was a show which had different music genres.
“We had Alick Macheso with sungura, myself with mbira and chimurenga traditional music, Lindsay Chamangurangura, with a feel of reggae/conscious music, Trompies from SA with a feel of South African sound,” she said.
Mangwenya felt at home as she was embraced by fans and promoters.
“I have performed in the UK four times before this visit.
“Firstly, it was in 2015 in Birmingham.
“In 2016, I performed twice in Leeds and Sherwood and then now in Leicester
“I got a positive response from fans, people loved me and blessed with me money on the stage.”
Mangwenya believes Zimbabwean music is distinct.
“The tour was a success because the promoters, Phab Entertainment, managed to provide all my requirements as a musician for me to work perfectly and be comfortable at the show.
“There are already pending regional tour enquiries so we await management to finalise with those who enquired, we have a pending Germany and Canada enquiry.
“My professional relationship with Phab Entertainment, I must say, is fully solid as they have proven to be on the list of the professional promoters I have worked with in my music career.
“They honour their word, they make musicians feel their worth and sometimes they even go an extra mile if a request from artists suddenly arises, they believe in growing and nurturing the talent more than profit.
“For me, that is a big plus.”