COUNTRY-FOLK-ROCK singer and songwriter Zowa, real name Kurirai Rodney Zowa Matonga, is planning a sundown concert to launch the EP of his record titled Conversations — The Prelude.
The song, which was recorded over the Easter season, will be launched on July 1 at Ela The Garden in Newlands, Harare.
It will begin with an exhibition including three surprise artists with whom Zowa works with, mainly sculptors and painters.
The artists' works will be on display, including those that have been commissioned specifically for the song.
The artworks will be auctioned off at the venue. The concert will also feature surprise opening artists.
Admittance will be on a pay-what-you-can basis, with the minimum admittance set at US$1. The organisers said the gates will open at 2:30pm, with the exhibition starting at 3pm and closing at 4 pm. The music will begin at 4:30pm and end at 5:30pm.
Zowa intends to use the event as a pivotal career move in order to take his narrative to a larger stage. The trilogy is inspired by conversations he had with his late grandmother, Anna.
“It's the main reason why the theme of the record follows a storyteller vibe," he explained to Standard Style, adding that an intimate environment was necessary to create the strongest wavelength possible between the artist and the audience.
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Kurirai has been approached by a variety of media platforms and music institutions since he began to build his image as an artist.
In April, he made his debut on the global music platform Sofar Sounds, where he performed his acoustic-driven, introspective tunes alongside his band Vatatu at a concert hosted by First Floor Gallery Harare.
He has appeared on AMH's sister company Heart & Soul Broadcasting Services, 3kTV, Jive TV, and Simba Arts, among others.
In May, he announced his new music video for the song "Memory" taken from his live record “THE TRINITY SESSIONS”. The track is poised to be a soundtrack for an upcoming cinematic project yet to be announced.
His song “Runyanhiriri - Venus Rising”, will be his second release from the upcoming E.P.
Zowa’s emphasis is on storytelling. A lyric fundamentalist, the artist said he discovered his sound in vinyl records and cassette tapes, merging worlds that he never thought possible. He credits his influences to the duo of American rock guitarist Lindsey Buckingham and singer Stevie Nicks, Jim Croce, Chiwoniso Maraire, Thomas Mapfumo, and Oliver Mtukudzi, among many others.
His main influence, however, was Don Williams, whom he said still shines a light on his sound. The artiste hinted at immortalizing the concert through a recording.
“There is a very strong possibility of content that will be made either as video, sound capture, or both. It is the hope that this will keep the event in conversation for a while,” he said.
Zowa the man, the musician, and farmer is passionate about living off the land, stewardship, and preservation. He identifies himself as “The Man of The Mountain” An avid traveller, his story is a tale that has never been told before.
