Sunday Life Reporter
IMBUBE music group, Great Stars will next month launch their fifth album titled Ijongosi at Bulawayo theatre.
The leader of the Bulawayo-based group, Philani Donga, said the launch will be held on 25 March, adding that they had enough time to work on the album when music shows were banned due to the Covid-19 lock down.
“This is a well-packaged album with songs like Ijongosi, Gomora, Emambale and Caroline. We promise a great launch. We had enough time to work on the album during the Covid-19 lockdown and our last album Konke kulungile was released in 2019,” he said.
Covid-19
The eight-member Great Stars is an extraordinary music and dance ensemble that specialises in imbube or acapella music and some Southern African traditional dances such as Zulu dance, Gumboot dance and Isitshikitsha, among others. The group started as a church group in Silobela Nkayi District in Matabeleland North province, and transformed to Great Stars Ijongosi in December 2011, lead by Donga who was inspired by Black Umfolosi as well as Indosakusa and other Imbube groups.
Great stars ijongosi
“The name is an appreciation of the amazing light provided by Stars at night. Our music brings life to souls as it entertains and educates. It stands like light that overcomes darkness, hence the name “Great Stars”. The group “Great Stars” has the nickname Ijongosi, which is a description of a young energetic male cow. The nickname came from our audience, who watched and marvelled at our vibrant dance activity on stage, hence the name Ijongosi. The dance steps and energy applied in our performance is fresh, unbeatable and like never seen before. As a group we all live like a family, and we worship together. We love one another and spend our spare time together. Some of our members have wives and children while others are responsible for the welfare and upkeep of their parents,” said Donga.