Edith WeUtonga

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Edith WeUtonga
Here at HIFA 2011 at the Global Stage
Here at HIFA 2011 at the Global Stage
Background information
Birth nameEdith Katiji
Also known asMhamha Bass
Born (1979-04-22) 22 April 1979 (age 45)
Kadoma, Zimbabwe
OriginHarare, Zimbabwe
GenresAfro jazz & Zimbabwean Traditional
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Bass guitar, acoustic guitar, mbira and drums
Years active2000–present
LabelsFamily Affair, Sheer

Edith Katiji,[1] known professionally as Edith WeUtonga (born 22 April 1979), is a Zimbabwean Afro-jazz and traditional music artist, bass guitarist,[2] songwriter, actress and music teacher. She was born in Kadoma, which lies approximately 166 kilometres (103 mi), by road, southwest of Harare. Being of Malawi origin and growing up in Bulawayo she sings in four different languages mainly Shona, Chichewa, Ndebele and English. Her band is called Utonga [3] which means dawn. She is one of only a few bass guitarists[1] in Zimbabwe who is also a lead vocalist for a band. She also plays the acoustic guitar, mbira and drums.

Career[edit]

After completing her secondary education, she pursued music with the Army School of Music[4] at the Brady Barracks, in Zimbabwe's second city of Bulawayo, where she started off as a vocalist with the Army Band and soon moved on to the city's famed Amakhosi Township Square Cultural Centre. While there, she joined a six-month musical instruments crash course for women musicians.

This gave birth to the all-female band from Amakhosi called Amakhosikazi ["Queens"],[5] where she started off as composer and lead vocalist for the band and later discovered her passion for the bass guitar. Amakhosikazi disbanded in mid-2006.

Katiji the bassist formed a new band from the remnants of Amakhosikazi, called So What?![6] The group relocated to Harare and joined the live music circuit at many of the popular city-centre venues, including the famous Book Café and Mannenberg, The Kraal, Jazz 105 and Sports Diner. In 2008 So What?! went through some changes after a few key members left for greener pastures as the economic situation[7] in the country worsened.  The new, rather depleted version of So What?! continued to meet their music commitments – until her near-fatal car accident.

Katiji is married to Zimbabwean filmmaker Elton Mjanana and they have two children together. In 2019, Edith graduated from Midlands State University (MSU) with an Honours degree in Music Business, Musicology and Technology.[8]

A founding president[9] of the Zimbabwe Music Union(ZIMU),[10] in 2021 Katiji became the first black woman to be elected as the Vice president of the International Federation of Musicians (FIM) in 2021.[11]

Life-threatening accident[edit]

Katiji had near-fatal car accident in July 2008, when she sustained serious head and facial injuries and was in a coma for almost two weeks. The accident left her physically scarred on her face and she lost a friend who had been in the passenger seat.[3]

Utonga - A New Dawn[edit]

During her recovery, she had discovered a new sound within herself. She felt that her scrape with death, followed shortly afterward by the birth of her second son, presented her with a new beginning in life, calling the new sound Utonga, meaning "dawn", and re-branded herself and her band as Edith weUtonga ("Edith of Dawn").[3]

Acting[edit]

Edith is also an actor. While at Amakhosi, she featured in productions including Athol Fugard's Hello & Goodbye, the Greek classic Lysistrata, Raisedon Baya's Tomorrow's People. Away from Amakhosi, she scored leading roles in Alone But Together by Wonder Guchu and also Silent Words by Tawanda Kanegoni, which made its debut at the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA). It was Cont Mhlanga, founder of Amakhosi, who introduced her to the small screen by giving her a leading role as Mai Shupi in the TV drama Sinjalo.[12] She won an award for her performance. She also toured locally and regionally with theatre production by ArtsLab called Standing in Pairs, which performed at the Grahamstown Festival.

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Award[citation needed] Category Result
2018 Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards (RoilBAAs)[13] Outstanding Alternative Music Won
2018 Women Achievers Awards Women in the Arts Won
2014 National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA)[14] Outstanding Female Musician Nominated
2014 Zimbabwe Music Awards (ZIMA)[15] Best Female Musician

Best Alternative Act

Nominated
2012 National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA)[16] Outstanding Actress Won

Discography[edit]

Albums[edit]

  • Utonga (Family Affair Productions), 2010
  • Kwacha (Family Affair Productions), 2013
  • Madalitso (Family Affair Productions), 2018

Singles[edit]

  • "Ngizohamba" (2003)

Collaborations[edit]

  • "Agodoka The Remix feat Outspoken",[17] 2014
  • "Ndaposha" featuring Clare Nyakujara (POVOAfrika & Family Affair Productions), 2014

Featured by[edit]

  • Publish The Quest: "Never Again, 2014
  • Publish The Quest: "Shine", 2014

Compilations[edit]

  • Zimbabwe Awake Vol. 1 [Africa Awake CD series][18] 2014
  • SpeakSing+ Vol 01[19] 2014

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Samukange, Tinotenda (12 May 2015). "Edith WeUtonga speaks on her life". News Day. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  2. ^ Mananavire, Bridget (29 July 2018). "Edith WeUtonga gains international acclaim". Daily News. Archived from the original on 26 November 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "A new dawn for Edith". The Herald. 10 May 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  4. ^ Musasizi, Simon (9 September 2012). "Zimbabwe shows off latest world music export". The Observer. Archived from the original on 30 November 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  5. ^ "Hifa heralds new dawn for Edith". The Herald. 28 March 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Meet the Rising Zimbabwean Legend…Edith WeUtonga". Zim Eye. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  7. ^ McGreal, Chris (9 October 2008). "Zimbabwe's inflation rate surges to 231,000,000%". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  8. ^ McGreal, Sibanda (23 July 2019). "Edith WeUtonga urges musicians to go to school". Nehanda Radio. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  9. ^ Musa, Patience (2 June 2021). "Edith WeUtonga makes history". Business Times. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  10. ^ "New Union to Unite Zim Musicians, Fight Piracy". Africultures. November 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  11. ^ Sumba, Ano (30 May 2021). "Zim's Edith WeUtonga named International Federation of Musicians vice-president". Music Africa. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  12. ^ Royce, Mapaike (5 June 2020). "There are many great musicians and creatives – and then there is Edith WeUtonga". ZIMBABWE DIGITAL NEWS. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  13. ^ Ndlovu, Bongani (31 May 2018). "Edith WeUtonga gets 1st award in 18 years". Chronicle. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  14. ^ Chaya, Vasco (24 February 2014). "WeUtonga tears into NACZ over NAMA". Daily News. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  15. ^ Mbewe, Maston (30 October 2014). "ZIMA Awards Winners List". Creative Loop. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  16. ^ "New day for WeUtonga". The Zimbabwean. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  17. ^ Phiri, Brenda (9 June 2015). "Edith WeUtonga goes wild". The Herald. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  18. ^ Blumenfeld, Nicky (15 February 2014). "Zimbabwe Awake Vol.1 [Africa Awake CD series]". Sheer Publishing Africa. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  19. ^ POVOAfrika. "Speak Sing Vol.1". Soundcloud. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
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