'Taking Over The City Live’ (TOTC Live!), scheduled for July 13 at Moongate Restaurant in Belgravia, Harare, is set to herald fashion innovator and multi-platform creative Ulenni Okandlovu’s first solo project, currently being refined through intensive rehearsals running until July 9.
The inaugural edition of TOTC Live! debuts in tandem with Southern Hemis Co., a new experimental music project that will, overtime, feature selected musicians — starting with guest performances by multifaceted talent Kyla Black and Brixton No Jazz Society’s Tinofireyi Zhou, widely known as Aero5ol, a multi-disciplinary artiste who uses the urban creative expressions of music, spoken word, and poetry performance to investigate the modern world’s everyday realities from a uniquely African perspective.
The collective is currently in its final rehearsal phase at Kulca Hauz Studios in Harare central business district, completing 50 hours of in-studio work since late June working to transform Okandlovu’s catalogue into a cohesive one-hour live set.
The final presentation will be a live-recorded performance at the TOTC Live! event.
Okandlovu’s new creative direction marks a continuation of his evolution as an artist, including his role at Bantu Spaceship, of which he is co-founder and lead vocalist.
The experimental Afro-electronic music outfit has performed in Germany, France, Switzerland, Eswatini, and Mozambique, gracing platforms such as the Palp Festival, MTN Bushfire, and the Mafalala Festival, among others.
“There has been a lot of growth,” he told NewsDay Weekender Life & Style recently.
“I am in a recharging phase, focusing on solo projects that help me grow as a creator.
- Okandlovu prepares for solo debut
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“For the past four years, I’ve been doing a lot of work centered on community-building, curating spaces, and promoting brands for my friends.”
Added Okandlovu: “I am super excited to be launching TOTC Live! as well as Southern Hemis Co., something I have been working on over the past year.
“We are currently in the studio with a number of talented artists who will be part of Southern Hemis Co. as my supporting band.”
Considered the first of its kind, organisers say the event is dedicated to promoting alternative and experimental sounds, “giving music and art enthusiasts a premium-quality curated experience”.
“The idea came from the need to create a space where the artists’ and audience’s experience is the top priority — starting with providing the best sound and sound engineers for the performers and delivering high-quality performances for the audience,” a statement released last week read.
Okandlovu, a master of multiple mediums with roots in Matobo, southwest Zimbabwe, is the brains behind Skeyi & Strobo, a local creative agency behind the Skeyi & Strobo (SS) Fabrik Party Convention — a platform for creative art and design aligned with Zimbabwe’s music, media, fashion, and artistic narratives.
Tickets are available online at https://flippintickets.co.zw/events/282/totc-live, as well as at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Artlife Shop, and at the venue.
The event is supported by the British Council and the Embassy of Switzerland in Zimbabwe through the Music Connects Africa programme, in collaboration with Obscura Films, Design Life Africa, and Skeyi & Strobo.
