IMAGINE Zimbabwe National Competition will this year take place at the Computer and Music Centre, Prince Edward School on July 26, Music Crossroads Academy Zimbabwe (MCAZ) projects co-ordinator Mirriam Patsanza has said.
Patsanza told NewsDay Weekender Life & Style that winners of the Imagine Zimbabwe National Competition will represent Zimbabwe at the 2025 Imagine Music Xperience (IMX) Competitions in Belgium.
She clarified that Music Cross Roads Academies across Africa are the hosts and co-ordinators of the competition and for the first time, four groups from Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe will take part in the international finals.
“The Imagine Music Xperience is an international all-styles music competition and development programme. Entry into the Imagine Zimbabwe National Competition is through a payment of a registration fee of US$20 before June 20 through the link https://mubazar.com/en/opportunity/imagine-music-experience-national-competition-zimbabwe-2023_2997,” Patsanza said.
“Contestants must enter either as a musical solo, duet, trio or quartet and should be able to perform three well-arranged songs for at least fifteen minutes. Imagine Zimbabwe National Experience is very much strict about an age range of not exceeding eighteen and twenty one years.
“By allowing schools, colleges, and universities to participate and particularly those who have yet to record music, the competition becomes a true incubator of grassroots talent.
“It promotes inclusivity, giving the young and often underrepresented artists, especially female groups, a chance to express themselves. The inclusion of a special push for girl-child participation sends a clear message: the stage is for everyone.”
Added Patsanza: “Equally significant is the cultural exchange facilitated by IMX. When young Zimbabwean bands like Ukama Band, who won in 2024, travel abroad to perform, they don’t just bring music, they bring stories, traditions and the heartbeat of a nation. In return, they are exposed to sounds and narratives from across the globe.
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“This kind of cross-cultural engagement enriches worldviews, fosters tolerance, and promotes international solidarity. In the interest of girl child empowerment, all female groups are encouraged to register into the competition.
“Our youth grow immensely through these exchanges. They return not just with new chords and rhythms, but with new ideas, ambitions, and a greater understanding of the world. These experiences shape them into not just better musicians, but better citizens, global citizens.”
Immediate past IMX winners include Ukama Band, Zimbabwe (2024), Soundcellar, France (2023), Wheobe, France (2022), Mellecrack, Belgium (2021) and Krapyl, Norway (2020), respectively.
The Imagine Music Xperience is an international music competition that brings together young musicians from around the globe to showcase their talents.
The event aims to promote cultural exchange and provide emerging artists with a platform to reach international audiences.
In 2024, Zimbabwe’s Ukama Band clinched the top prize, highlighting the country’s rich musical heritage.
Since its establishment in 2013, Music Crossroads Academy has been a cornerstone of music education in Zimbabwe.
The academy offers a one-year Certificate in Professional Music, equipping students with the skills needed for a career in the music industry.
Over the years, it has produced notable artistes and bands, some of whom include Mokoomba, Swere, WeNyombwe and Vazukuru VeAfrica, who have gained international acclaim.
The academy’s involvement in the IMX competition has been marked by both triumph and challenge.
In 2015, the band JESA, formed at the academy, won the national Imagine Festival in Zimbabwe and participated in the international final in Croatia.
Patsanza, who toured with Ukama Band, said the IMX competitions are a lifetime assertive involvement that allow one to create high end music networks, collaborations and opportunities to travel to Europe for the International finals.
However, the path to international recognition is not without hurdles.
Patsanza pointed out that winning bands should fund their own passports, underscoring the need for parental support, corporate sponsorship, and community backing.
“We must view this not as a burden, but as an investment in our youth — and by extension, in our cultural capital.”
