Shout-Africa Zwa Celeb Focus: Edith Katiji of Utonga
Shout-Africa Zwa Celeb Focus: Edith Katiji of Utonga
Zwa-Celeb Focus is a column for African celebrities to tell their fans a bit more about their work, releases, events and updates. If you’d like to take part email us on zwange@shout-africa.com
This week we interview exciting, rising musician par excellence and Zimbabwe’s invaluable woman artist Edith Katiji also known as Edith WeUtonga. Edith has steadily but surely risen to become a female force to reckon with not only in Zimbabwe but in the Southern African region.(pictured, right):
Edith welcome to Shout-Africa ?
THANK YOU I AM HAPPY TO BE HERE ON THIS USEFUL PLATFORM.
What have you been up to recently?
I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO HONE MY SKILL ON THE BASS GUITAR AND LEAD SINGING . I HAVE ALSO BEEN REHEARSING TO PERFECT MY ACT WITH THE BAND AS WE ARE KEEN ON CONQUORING THE LIVE CIRCUIT IN AFRICA AT FESTIVALS AND CONVENTIONAL VENUES ALIKE
Where are we likely to see you performing again?
WELL, MY FIRST PORT OF CALL OR RATHER I HOPE MY FIRST FESTIVAL OF REAL SIGNIFICANCE IS THE HARARE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS (HIFA) IN HARARE. I CAN ONLY SAY I AM GRATEFUL AT THE CORRECT PROCEDURE OF CONQUORING AT HOME BEFORE VENTURING OUT THERE.
What’s the most memorable concert you’ve done?
THE LAUNCH PARTY FOR MY DEBUT ALBUM ‘UTONGA’ WAS REALLY SPECIAL TO ME. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO YEARS, I FELT MUSICALLY ALIVE, AND MY AUDIENCE KNEW I HAD ARRIVED.IT WAS FOR A SELECTED AND SPECIALLY INVITED GROUP OF PEOPLE, MOST OF WHOM HAD NOT KNOWN WHAT I COULD DO. THEY WERE REALLY SURPRISED AT THE ACT AND, IN A GOOD WAY, SHOCKED.
How would you pay the bills if you weren’t a musician?
MY COOKING SKILLS? I GUESS I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO DO THAT-JUST KIDDING! SERIOUSLY, I WOULD HAVE TO RELY MORE ON MY ACTING TALENTS, AS I HAVE APPEARED IN A SHORT FILM, A TELEVISION SERIES AND NUMEROUS THEATRE PIECES AT A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL IN AND AROUND MY COUNTRY.
What forthcoming projects, concerts or collaborations are on the cards?
I AM EARGERLY AWAITING THE HARARE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS (HIFA) AS I HAVE PLANNED A VERY EXCITING AND EXPLOSIVE SHOW. LAST YEAR IN NOVEMBER, I TOGETHER WITH MY NEWLY FORMED PRODUCTION COMPANY WHICH I CO-RUN WITH MY HUSBAND, ORGANIZED AN EXCLUSIVE CONCERT WHICH HELPED CEMEMT OUR ARRIVAL AND PRESENCE ON ZIM’S LIVE CIRCUIT. I LOOK FORWARD TO A BIGGER AND BETTER CONCERT OF THE SAME INTENT THIS YEAR, MAYBE AFTER HIFA. I AM NOT THINKING OF COLLABO’S AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE I DONT THINK I AM WITHIN THE REACH OF THE ARTISTS I WOULD LIKE TO COLLABO WITH JUST YET– THE LIKES OF BIBI TANGA, AWILO, LURA, DOBEY GNAHORE, THOMAS MAPFUMO, ZULU BOY, AWADI, JESSY CLEGG, BABYFACE, ALICIA KEYS OR R KELLY EVEN. THESE ARE ARTISTS WHO ARE TRUE TO THEMSELVES AND FRIGHTENINGLY HONEST TO THEIR CRAFT- SOMETHING I CRAVE FOR. CERTAINLY WORKING WITH THEM WILL BE AKIN STUMBLING ONTO AN OASIS OF WISDOM FOR ME, AND WISDOM IS SOMETHING I CRAVE MORE THAN FAME. I ONLY HOPE IT HAPPENS SOON.
Get in touch with this Zimbabwean celeb via the WEB PAGE www.edithweutonga.com or email: emjanana@edithweutonga.com FOLLOW EDITH ON FACEBOOK, www.facebook.com/EdithWeUtonga or alternatively by phone: +263774 133 274/+263773 159 667 or addresss: 21 Walter Hill Avenue, Eastlea, Harare, Zimbabwe.
