GRAHAMSTOWN (SA) – One of the giant acts at the just ended National Arts Festival held here was Oliver Mtukudzi.

Zimbabwe’s leading online arts publishers The Zimbo Jam were on the ground and said in their brief account of the festival that the performances placed Zimbabwean arts highly amongst the nations of the world and proudly so.

Both Mtukudzi’s shows sold out, said The Zimbo Jam. Throughout the shows evidence of Zimbabwe elements in the crowds abounded with ecstatic fans screaming out hysterically in appreciation of the booming voice of the Zimbabwean singer and composer whose gift of music continues to spread the values of love across the world. And love is what the world needs today more than anything.

Mtukudzi is adored immensely in the whole of South Africa where many people identify with his music and in many different ways – be it the beat, the style of singing or lyrical content all of which would appear to draw huge inspiration from shared daily life experiences.

It is not surprising that Mtukudzi is the biggest selling African artist in South Africa in the last 10 years (excluding South African musicians), according to Sheer Sound a South African record company that markets Mtukudzi’s music (Tuku Music) in South Africa.

Early this year Sheer Sound presented Mtukudzi in Johannesburg with a plaque celebrating 10 years of their successful association and also in recognition of Mtukudzi’s outstanding record sales in South Africa.

See below a snapshot of Mtukudzi in performance at Grahamstown. – The Zimbo Jam/Shepherd Mutamba/tukumusik.com

Namatayi Mubariki-Chipanga, Oliver Mtukudzi and Charles Chipanga on stage at the Grahamstown Festival.