Zimpapers Logo

Joyce Simeti

Brenda Phiri Entertainment Reporter
GOSPEL songstress Joyce Simeti will celebrate her vintage 40 years in style with a celebratory birthday bash to be held at the Zanu-PF Headquarters in Harare this Saturday. The high-octane event will see the “Kudza Baba naMai” hitmaker leading a coterie of some of Zimbabwe’s leading and upcoming musicians who will join hands with her fans and family members to “spray confetti” on the singer marking her major milestone.
The artistes are drawn from the various music genres including gospel, sungura, jazz and dancehall.

But all eyes will be on Simeti herself who — apart from being a musician – is also a gifted fashion designer who designs her own attire.
She is expected to appear on stage in one of her new glittering designs as she chronicles her life story, long music road, family and private life as well as some of the travails she has gone through.

She will also perform some of her new and old songs.
Befittingly, the grand-dad of gospel music, Baba Machanic Manyeruke will assume his father figure role and also take people down memory lane with his golden classics taken off his albums like “Siyabonga Baba”, “Ndeyeiko Nyaya?”, “Varombo Pamweya”, “Jecha Regungwa” and “Muchandiziva Here?”

Award-winning Mutare-based firebrand Blessing Shumba will also travel all the way to be at the festivities in Harare to perform songs from his albums like “Shongwe”, “Ishe Wazvose” and “Ndi-Mwari” that catapulted him to dizzy heights.

Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave, Gospel Power, Leonard Zhakata, Tinashe Magacha, Bob Nyabinde, Freddy “Kapfupi” Manjalima, Edith Katiji, Rumbidzai Gatawa, Flame B and T-nash Utete, among others, will also be part of the line-up.

Speaking on behalf of his wife Joyce, Stanley Simeti, who is one of the co-ordinators of the concert, said the celebrations are a way of thanking God for the numerous works that Joyce has been carrying out both as a musician, fashion designer, philanthropist and mother.

“They say life begins at 40 but with Joyce, she has been doing a lot of things in her life and with this milestone, we hope she will continue doing more.
“She is a committed artiste who is also actively involved in charity work with a number of children and old people’s homes as well as various churches.

“We looked at all this and said to ourselves, ‘why can’t we organize something to celebrate all this?’ and we approached her fellow artistes who said they were ready to come and help their colleague celebrate her big day,” Simeti said.

Artistes Tinashe Magacha and Michael Mahendere posted their comments on facebook promising to celebrate a special day for fellow gospel musician.
Some of Joyce Simeti’s popular hits include “Kudza Baba naMai”, “Ndakange Ndisipo”, “Mudzimai Akanaka”, “Anozvigona” and “Dai Ndiri Kupi?”