WERE, winners of the Imagine Festival Competition 2013, are finally ready to set off for their European Tour, from the 28th of May to the 18th of July 2014.

 

In 2013 WERE won the Imagine International Final in Kristiansand Norway. Their raw combination of contemporary and traditional Zimbabwean music style blew the crowd and the judges away, earning them the Imagine title and a tour to showcase their talent all over Europe in 2014.

 

WERE comes from the word ‘mawere,’ meaning ascending – a mountain or in life. True to form, they are an energetic five member Zimbabwean band hailing from Harare. They play an intoxicating fusion of tribal and contemporary African music, which always engages the audience. The band blends modern and traditional instruments, using the Mbira and Kudu horn, paired with tearing vocals from their powerful lead vocalists, to create an energetic stage performance.

 

WERE is comprised of three young male musicians, who started playing together in 2011 at a local church in their hometown of Chitungwiza (Harare), home to a large number of leading Zimbabwean musicians. They met the two lead female vocalists through the JMI program Music Crossroads in 2013 and formed the band.

 

These Zimbabwean quintets use the Mbira as a base for composing all of their songs. The female vocalists incorporate a variety of percussion instruments such as the Congas, Kudu horn and ‘Hosho’ into repertoires that are deeply rooted in traditional Zimbabwean sounds. WERE specializes in several traditional dances as well as urban styles common to Harare.

 

When the Band hits the stage, the audience is always drawn to their feet and will not sit until the very last note.