Artists

Christopher ‘Tofa Boy’ Antony is a young and talented student from Dhow Countries Music Academy (DCMA) Zanzibar. Presenting an energetic cocktail of African popular music styles including bongo flava and Afro-fusion, Tofa Boy is a vibrant and upbeat artist. He composes his own songs and delivers these with passion, from read more

Tsiliva, born Christophe Tsiliva Diddiot, is a Malagasy musician who performs kilalaka, a traditional genre of music from the south-western interior of Madagascar. The son of a pastor, he was born in 1982 and raised in the western coastal town of Ambovombe Androy, near Morondava. As a child he enjoyed read more

This Dar es Salaam based group started in 2008 with ten musicians, the majority of whom are physically disabled. They choose the name TUNAWEZA to make a point; it translates roughly as 'Yes We Can'. The group now has 13 members, who between them play a variety of instruments. Masoud read more

Upendo Manase is a Tanzanian singer-songwriter, vocal trainer and entrepreneur who first learnt to sing in her church choir.

Since completing music studies, she has performed as lead or backing vocalist with various afro-fusion bands at events including the Swahili Music Festival and Sauti za Busara in Tanzania, DoaDoa Performing Arts read more

Utamaduni is Swahili for “culture” and the group Utamaduni JKU presents Swahili culture at its best. They are performing a rich variety of traditional dances from all over Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar Island including msewe, gonga, kyaso, uringe, pungwa, kibati, bomu, kunguwia, boso, kibunguu, ngokwa, sindimba and lizombe. Each of read more

Uwaridi Band is a talented all-women group of passionate and energetic musicians. They play many instruments, including violin, accordion, tabla, cajon, ngoma, zeze, rimba, sanduku, vidumbaki, rika and percussions.

They preserve Zanzibar’s cultural heritage and help take it forwards by fusing traditional sounds with modern arrangements. Members of the band make read more