2017-11-03Staff Report 2 Staff Reporter Windhoek-After 12 years apart, Southern Africa Kwaito music pioneers Bongo Maffin are reportedly on the comeback trail and will start performing together as a group again. A Castle Lager television commercial this year on which the group members worked together sparked their desire to reunite, South African and Zimbabwean news outlets quoted group members as saying this week. Bongo Maffin consists of Thandiswa Mazwai, Stoane Motswako Saote and Anesu Mupembi, who originally hails from Mbare, Zimbabwe. The group won the African music awards for 2001, 2002, 2006 and won a nomination for BBC World Music Award in 2006. In South Africa, the group won the South African music awards in 1999, 2002, and 2006. Formed in 1998, Bongo Maffin was so popular that they received invitations to perform all over the world, and shared the stage with musical icons Stevie Wonder, the Bob Marley offspring, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Chaka Khan, Sean Paul, and Steel Pulse. Group member, Saote, says the group’s recent Castle Lager advertisement went well and inspired them to consider a reunion. He confirmed that he and other members of iconic kwaito group Bongo Maffin are in discussions over a reunion, the details of which they will communicate as soon as they become available. The news of the group’s reunion surfaced this morning when the Kalawa Jazmee production boss revealed to TshisaLIVE that after 12 years of being out of the spotlight, the multi-award-winning group was in talks to make a return to music. The group split because Mazwai and Mupembi could not agree on many decisions regarding the music group. “It is true the group separated because of me and Thandiswa but that is in the past. After we were approached to do a commercial for Castle Lager, we saw it fit to appreciate our differences and re-unite because our fans need us,” Zimbabwe’s Chronicle newspaper quoted Mupembi as saying. “I think all of us have maintained relevance and equity in our chosen directions away from the group, while still maintaining personal contact. If we are honest with our art, it will always feel like we never left and the music (old and new) will resonate with fans,” Soate told DESTINY Connect. Kalawa Jazmee boss Oskido said that he could not confirm anything, but the group was in talks to make it happen and they seem to be at an advanced stage. “Everyone really enjoyed working together, so now it’s a case of just putting all the pieces together,” he told TshisaLIVE. Mupembi said the group is now working on singles they aim to release before the next year. “We do not promise an album soon, but we are busy producing singles at the studio. Fans should expect something before the end of the year,” Mupembi said. 2017-11-03Staff Report 2
