Impumelelo Shining Stars
The group
Impumelelo Shining Stars was originally formed in May 2001 in Emnqameni, Gwanda by four young men who had a passion for music. Now based in Mpopoma, Bulawayo, the group has grown to nine artists on stage. The whole cast has strong Christian values and they belong to ZAOGA FIF churches. Through the years their hard work and self motivation has seen them record four albums.
The music
The traditional music sung by Impumelelo Shining Stars is called isichathamiya, also known as imbube. The majority of their songs are Gospel. Some songs are educative while others comment on various social issues affecting society. The presentation of these pieces is made unique by dance routines that accompany the music. These dances include Zulu traditional dances, Ndebele traditional dances, and the popular South African gumboot dance.
The performances
Within Zimbabwe, Impumelelo Shining Stars has worked with various leading Gospel artists that include the likes of Fungisayi Zvakavapano and David Maguramiti. 2007 and 2008 saw Impumelelo Shining Stars tour Southern Africa. They collaborated with renowned musicians including Dereck Nzimande from South Africa and Ekamanzini from Swaziland. During these tours they had a chance to work with Joseph Tshabalala, founding member of the Grammy Award winning Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Some of the high profile venues that have been played by Impumelelo Shining Stars include Harare International Festival of Arts (HIFA), Intwasa Festival in Bulawayo, Ibumba International Festival in Bulawayo, and Pretoria Showgrounds in South Africa.