Impumelelo Shining Stars ensemble rocking the Mbube music boat

Agenda4Action

        With

Thembani Dube

Agenda4Action had the pleasure to host Impumelelo Shining Stars, a Bulawayo based Imbube and isicathamiya outfit that was formed in Gwanda in Matebeleland South 15 years ago by Costar Ncube.  The imbube groups’ vocal and dance style resembles that of the internationally well-known Ladysmith Black Mambazo of RSA that was founded by Joseph Tshabalala in the early 1960s.

Joseph Tshabalala’s Ladysmith Mambazo has won multiple awards including four Grammy Awards and their releases have received gold and platinum disc honours around the world. Both groups use human voices, agility and fancy footwork dances as instruments that bring together and or infuse traditional music harmonies, sounds and rhythms to feed the soul and spirituality of their audiences around the world. They seem not to disappoint on this.

There is no doubt that Impumelelo Shining Stars are indeed shining and are one of the movers and shakers in the music industry in Mthwakazi. We therefore invited one of the group members, Innocent Sibanda, the Organizer and Marketing Officer of the group, to grace Agenda4Action so he can profile this beautiful and traditional Matebele/Mthwakazi traditional music group ensemble to our followers and readers. We asked him a number of questions regarding Impumelelo Shining Stars and the great work they have done to date.

Thembani Dube: Sibanda, welcome to Agenda4Action and please tell us who the members who constitute Impumelelo Shining Stars are.

Innocent Sibanda: Thank you mfowethu.  We have Thembelani Ndlovu, Oscar K. Siziba, Njabulo Moyo, Mduduzi Moyo, Kwanele Moyo, myself and Tiambiwi Shoko. Oscar Siziba is our group leader.

Thembani Dube:  Where and when was this group founded?

Innocent Sibanda: It was founded at Maphane Village, Nqameni in Gwanda on the 7th of May 2001.

Thembani Dube: For the purposes of our audience where is Gwanda in Matebeleland and under which Chief is this village?

Innocent Sibanda:  Gwanda is in Matebeleland South and Maphane Village is under Chief Khulumani Mathema.

Thembani Dube: Are all the members of the group from the same village?

Innocent Sibanda:  Not  really! Some are from Filabusi koGodlwayo and Khezi.

Thembani Dube: Your music is inspirational and you sound like Joseph Tshabala’s Ladysmith Black Mambazo of RSA. Were you inspired by Ladysmth Black Mambazo?

Innocent Sibanda: Yes indeed and Joseph Tshabalala composed and featured in our 7th Album called Amaqhinga Aphelile, track number 12.

Thembani Dube:  That is excellent. Great work indeed. What are the other names of your albums that you have recorded and released?

Innocent Sibanda: They are: Emthonjeni, Uhlaleleni, Love One another, Umhlaba uyajikajika, Avulekil’ Amazulu and Ngeke Ehluleke. Avulekile Amazulu was launched on the 25th of June in Bulawayo. It was really a success and we thank our music lovers for attending the event and we encourage others to get our music and listen to it and we promise they will enjoy it.

Thembani Dube:  You really have done well. So how many countries have you toured?

Innocent Sibanda: Thank you. We have toured only 9 countries in Southern Africa which include Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Namibia and DR Congo.

Thembani Dube: Has your music been well received in these countries?

Innocent Sibanda: Yes, very well received indeed.

Thembani Dube:  Apart from Joseph Tshalabala, have you collaborated with any other musicians?

Innocent Sibanda: Yes indeed, we have collaborated with Nomathamsanqa Mkhwananzi and hope Masike.

Thembani Dube:  That sounds good. Have you got plans to make overseas tours?

Innocent Sibanda: This is something we plan to do eventually and we are busy marketing our music and hopefully one day we will realize this dream.

Thembani Dube:  Where can your music fans get your CDs and at what cost?

Innocent Sibanda: They are sold at the National Arts Gallery at a cost of $5

Thembani Dube: Finally what message do you want to your music lovers and or fans?

Innocent Sibanda: We love you for your support and we will continue to give you our best.

Thembani Dube:  how do your fans or would be fans contact you as a group?

Innocent Sibanda: We can be reached on the following:

Twitter:@impumeleloshin1
E-mail:impumeleloshiningstars1@gmail.com
Tel:       +263772350942
  +27743214014

Thembani Dube: Siyabonga Sibanda. We appreciate the great work you and your colleagues are doing in the music industry. Continue to find determination and willpower to succeed and to continue being Matebelelend and Africa’s Shining Stars in the Mbube music industry. We wish you the best!
Innocent Sibanda: You are welcome Dube. Kubonga thina and many thanks to all our fans and would-be fans out there. We say Peace and Progress to all

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