Nollywood actor Odira Nwobu has died suddenly in South Africa, prompting widespread grief across the Nigerian film industry ( image source ) The Nigerian film industry is grieving following the sudden death of Nollywood actor Odira Nwobu in Johannesburg. Widely recognised for his comedic talent and energetic screen presence, Nwobu’s passing has sent shockwaves across Nollywood and the broader entertainment community. According to early accounts, Nwobu collapsed just hours aft

Percy Manyonga’s new exhibition Becoming Myself at Loft 3 marks a bold shift into textile-based art, blending string, fibre and conceptual depth to chart identity ( image source ) Walking into Loft 3 Gallery this month feels like stepping into a room woven with intimate confessions. Percy Manyonga’s latest solo exhibition, Becoming Myself, marks a decisive shift in his two-decade career as he pivots from mixed media and paint toward a wholly textile-driven practice. What migh

Carol Henchie School of Dancing dazzles Reps Theatre with a nostalgic, decade-spanning ballet showcase celebrating childhood, creativity and intergenerational artistry ( image source ) A colourful sweep through 90 years of music and movement lit up Harare’s Reps Theatre on Saturday as the Carol Henchie School of Dancing presented Dancing the Decades, a nostalgic and joyous production featuring performers as young as three. The show opened softly before bursting into applause

Kafka (2025) becomes the unlikely sensation of the Cairo International Film Festival, captivating audiences with its haunting study of bureaucracy and modern anxiety ( image source ) Cairo’s bustling downtown—alive with late-autumn heat, stone façades and fluttering festival banners—saw an unusual kind of frenzy during the 46th Cairo International Film Festival. It wasn’t a celebrity entrance or a red-carpet spectacle that stirred the city, but the unexpected magnetism of Kaf

Zimbabwean rapper Maskiri has been detained in a livestock-deal sting involving an alleged failed goat sale ( image source ) An unexpected livestock-related sting operation has landed popular rapper Maskiri in police custody, after a goat-sale agreement allegedly collapsed into a financial dispute in Chitungwiza. A Sting Operation Disguised as a Birthday Booking Authorities say Maskiri was lured to an event under the guise of a birthday performance booking, a tactic used to s

Elbasso Secondary School launches its first-ever student concert, showcasing music, dance, drama and community collaboration in a milestone arts celebration ( image source ) Elbasso Secondary School will take centre stage this weekend as hundreds of students prepare for the institution’s inaugural concert, a milestone event organisers say will showcase the school’s growing arts programme and mark a new chapter in extracurricular life. The concert, scheduled for Saturday eveni

Ariana Grande tests positive for COVID-19 ahead of the global launch of Wicked: For Good, forcing last-minute promo cancellations and schedule changes ( image source ) Ariana Grande has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss several promotional appearances for Wicked: For Good, including a scheduled appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show. She announced the result on Instagram the day the film opens. Grande revealed the positive test on her Instagram Stories after appearing

The Grand Family Show returns to Belgravia Sports Club on December 6 with top Zimbabwean artists, family activities, food stalls, and a full day of live music ( image source ) Belgravia Sports Club will transform into a family-friendly music hub on December 6, when the Grand Family Show brings together some of Zimbabwe’s most exciting performers for a full day of live music, food, and entertainment. Promoted as a celebration of local culture and community, the event promises

Dr. Titanic Urayayi’s musical journey highlights patience, growth, and leadership as he rises in Zimbabwe’s music scene, emphasising his philosophy of “grow before you go” ahead of his 2025 return ( image source ) Theophilus T. Urayayi, better known by his stage name Dr. Titanic Urayayi & Fearfighters Express, has carved out a unique path in Zimbabwe’s music scene. Emerging in 2018, his journey reflects not only artistic ambition but also a deliberate philosophy of patience,

The Love Zimbabwe Festival gains unprecedented momentum after receiving strong endorsements from both the Catholic Church and Apostolic sects ( image source ) The Love Zimbabwe Festival has exploded into the spotlight after receiving ringing endorsements from two of the country’s most influential religious communities—the Catholic Church and the sprawling Apostolic sects (Vapostori). What was once seen as a cultural showcase of music, food, and dance has now been baptised wit

Afro-fusion artist ManLuckerz electrifies Stockholm with his second 2025 showcase at Jazz Hotel Hellsten, delivering a powerful cultural exchange that blended Zimbabwean traditional sounds with Scandinavian jazz energy ( image source ) Sweden-based Afro-fusion artist Luckson “ManLuckerz” Chikutu lit up Stockholm over the weekend, delivering a high-energy set that reaffirmed his growing influence on the Scandinavian live circuit. The Gutu-born performer returned to the revered

ZIMURA members react with outrage after outgoing chair Albert Nyathi confirms the association’s Harare offices have been sold without prior consultation ( image source ) The Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) has been plunged into yet another moment of uncertainty — a moment many musicians describe as both sorrowful and deeply unsettling — after outgoing chairperson Albert Nyathi confirmed that the organisation’s Harare offices have been sold. For thousands of artists

Mai TT urges fans to report pirate uploads of her Nollywood film Lost in Ashes after its viral YouTube release draws unauthorised reuploads ( image source ) Comedian and actress Felistas Murata, popularly known as Mai TT, has taken to social media to warn fans about unauthorised uploads of her new Nollywood film Lost in Ashes. She released the movie on YouTube three days ago following its September premiere in Harare, which drew several Nollywood stars. Murata says she person

LitFest Harare 2025 returns with a Kalanga-inspired theme, hosting over 80 artists across eight countries and celebrating multilingual storytelling, cultural memory and the evolving legacies of African art ( image source ) LitFest Harare returns for its 12th edition later this month with a Kalanga-inspired theme, “Lebeleka Takawilila” — “Speak, we are listening” — an invitation to hear ancestral voices, honour present rhythms and carry stories into the future. Festival direct

Alick Macheso’s surprise cornrows send Zimbabwe into a joyful online frenzy, sparking memes, cultural commentary, and a wholesome father-daughter reveal ( image source ) When Alick Macheso stepped on stage with freshly minted cornrows, the nation briefly forgot load-shedding schedules, Bybit scandals, and constitutional debates. For one glorious 24 hours, Zimbabwe united under one question: “Is Baba Shero… evolving?” In a plot twist worthy of a Sungura musical, Macheso arrive

Tiffany Haddish Goes Off follows Tiffany Haddish and her friends on a month-long journey across Africa, blending fashion, friendship, cultural exploration and vulnerable storytelling while spotlighting communities in Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Harare and Zanzibar ( image source ) Tiffany Haddish’s six-episode Peacock docuseries Tiffany Haddish Goes Off opens with a simple premise — four lifelong friends on a month-long journey through the continent — but the show quickly fram

Sungura veteran Gift Amuli is emerging as a strong contender for ZIMURA chairperson, with artists calling for creator-led leadership, reform and transparency ( image source ) Newly elected ZIMURA board member and Sungura veteran Gift Amuli has quickly become one of the names gaining traction in conversations about who should chair the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association. His reputation as a seasoned artist, his grassroots following, and his decade-spanning music career have pro

From Kwekwe to Cape Town and beyond, Zimbabwean artist King Ashwet’s journey spans music, acting, and radio ( image source ) Born in 1976 in the mining town of Kwekwe, Ashwet Phiri, known to the music world as King Ashwet, has spent a lifetime chasing the rhythm that first stirred in him as a child. His story is one of persistence, creative adventure, and cultural pride — a journey that began in the dusty schoolyards of the 1980s and has since crossed continents, airwaves, an

From Kwekwe to Cape Town, Zimbabwean drummer and vocalist Simba Saini has recorded over 124 albums, blending sungura, jazz, and Afro-fusion to keep Zimbabwe’s music alive across borders ( image source ) From Kwekwe to Cape Town, Zimbabwe-born drummer, vocalist, and band leader Simba Saini has crafted a remarkable musical journey that spans continents, genres, and hundreds of albums. Known affectionately as “Samanyanga,” Saini blends traditional Shona sensibilities with groove

A detailed look at ZICCO’s licensing reforms, royalty distribution changes and efforts to rebuild trust with creators as it prepares for its 2025 elective AGM in Bulawayo The Zimbabwe Council of Copyrights (ZICCO) has, over the past 18 months, positioned itself as a pivotal institution in the country’s creative economy. As the body responsible for collecting and distributing royalties while licensing businesses that use copyrighted works, ZICCO’s influence has grown in both o