Chiwoniso

Chiwoniso is the daughter of a Zimbabwean musician who taught for decades at the University of Washington. Although she was born in Washington state, she spent a good part of her adolescence in Zimbabwe, where she was exposed to African musical traditions of the Shona. Chiwoniso learned how to play the African mbira despite the fact that traditionally, women in Zimbabwe were not permitted to play the instrument. The consistent rhythm of the tonal pluckings of the mbira provide a very authentic background to Chiwoniso's songs of her people.

In an NPR review, Afropop Worldwide editor Banning Eyre points out what an important new inspiration Chiwoniso's music represents for Zimbabwe: "A young singer like Chiwoniso is able to take the music and messages of her ancestors and turn them into a pop sound that young people can really get. Chiwoniso is more than a promising new African star, she is a voice of hope and a guiding light for a society in crisis." —Courtesy Calabash Music