Zim songstress tours Europe with African circus

Mbira player and songstress, Rutendo Machiridza (pictured) is on tour in Europe as part of the Mother Africa circus repertoire.  Since December last year, the group has been practically living on the tour bus performing in a different European city every day clocking more than 70 shows in three months.

Machiridza said, ‘It’s been a crazy but fun experience, with a show every day.’ She was excited to be part of the ‘biggest African production on tour’  and for the various opportunities of growth it has presented her. Working with a dozen plus African artists has been a blessing for the young Zimbabwean as it has afforded her a unique window to network and interact with other artists skilled in different genres.

For Machiridza who received a part-scholarship to study for a four-year bachelor’s degree in music performance majoring in voice and music at the elite Berkelee College of Music in Boston, Massachussetts in the US, funding has not been easy to come.  However, she is determined to take her place along musical luminaries such as Quincey Jones, Al di Meola, Melissa Etheridge, Juan Luis Guerra, Bruce Hornsby, the beautiful Espéranza Spalding and other famous musicians who are all alumni of Berklee.

The young songstress has been the main voice of the moving African circus that is always backed by live music with an African heartbeat. Mother Africa has been described as the ‘Circus of all Senses’ and a stirring trip to Africa´s colorful world of dance and song.

The fickled coloured costumes, rousing rhythms, breathtaking acrobatics and pure joy of life have resulted in sold out shows at most European venues.  Mother Africa is spectacular circus entertainment that gives a wonderful insight into African culture. And that it has thrilled the world is no understatement as it has since toured Australia and North America. It’s only undoing is that it is yet to come to its motherland, Africa.

This Afrocentric circus was conceived and directed by Zimbabwean born professional acrobat and performer, Winston Ruddle, whose experience dates back to early 1983 when he started his performing career as a break dancer in Bulawayo.