AFFECTIONATELY dubbed The Princess of Mbira, Hope Masike, who has been on a two-month break from public performances is set to mark her return to stage with a show dubbed Sacred Secrets on August 21 at the Alliance Francaise in Harare.
Report by Tinashe Sibanda
Masike will through this event define her career’s new direction, the new band members, new wardrobe and the concert will be dedicated to those that supported her breakthrough in the music industry since 2008.
She had been on a two-month break together with her band reworking and strengthening her brand to bring out a brand new look which will be officially launched in October.
“My audience can expect a more refined Hope Masike. I have been searching so deep for who I am, spiritually and beyond,” said Masike.
She said many things had happened this year; that required her to sit down and think without any disruptions thus she took the break and reworked many things, from her diet, the songs themselves, dressing and stage craft plus much more.
Masike said so many events, both good and bad during the time she was supposed to be taking a break and restrategising; sad things such as the death of mbira gurus Mbuya Beulla Djoko and Chiwoniso Maraire.
Then also wonderful things happened, such as committing more of her time to her church music team at the beginning of this year and through that I have been learning a lot more about the spirit music and also winning a National Merit Award (Nama) award.
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The songbird said other changes included the fact that her drummer launched a solo career and was not around as much as she had been used to.
“I had a team helping me during the break and I believe my new music direction and stage work will tell the story a lot better so my audiences can expect a better-packaged brand of Hope Masike,” she added.
Masike added that she had seen it appropriate to show her new product to the people who believe in her during the concert before more fans speak of it later in October after the official launch.
She said the main key player who had contributed the most to her career so far was God as many supernatural things always happened that she could not explain.
“I was ushered into the art of performing at Book Café, when Chiwoniso left for the US, they asked me to take over the Tuesday nights. I had a good voice and all that jazz, but I didn’t know much about actual performing and for over two years I was the resident artist for that event that saw the growth of my band and fan base,” said Masike.
She added that the Alliance Francaise had also played a very supportive role in her career as she had used their venue for her first ever Hope Masike concert a few years ago.
Masike said besides the Book Cafe and Alliance Francaise, there was also Delta Gallery, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe German Society, The Zimbabwe College of Music and many others that had greatly supported her.
She said the concert was also dedicated to stakeholders who helped in her rising who include media, family members, the diplomatic community, fans and the government who had been her greatest support.
“Two albums, a few tours and a Nama award later, I give you a concert Sacred Secrets as my special way of saying thank you,” she said.
