Tanzania to stage fourth edition of Marahaba Festival

First held in 2012, the festival will feature artists from Tanzania, Kenya and Mayotte Island this year. Fadhilee Itulya will be Kenya’s sole representative while Anyme Abadalla  a well-known recording artist in Mayotte will represent the Indian Ocean Island. Other artists expected to perform are German based Tanzanian guitarist Oliver John, Carola Kinasha, Swahili Ally, Black Fit, Remi Tone, Dar Creators, Misoji Nkwabi and Wahenga Band from Tanzania.

Like in previous years the festival will give precedence to music that is rarely heard within Tanzania. While Dar Creators will showcase their unique fusion of traditional ngoma and African music, Carol Kinasha recognized as one of the pioneers of traditional fusion music in Tanzania will share her authentic sound.

An accomplished performer in her own right, Kinasha has worked extensively on campaigns to bring music education back in Tanzanian schools. She emerged on the Tanzania music scene in the 1980s where she collaborated with some of Tanzania’s well known artists. Though not very active on the music scene in Tanzania, Kinasha currently serves as the project manager at Music Mayday.

Kenya’s Fadhilee Itulya will return to stage after a two-year hiatus. The Kenyan singer and songwriter has been focusing on developing his own festival, the UTAM festival which marked its second edition in early September.

For lovers of classic music, Wahenga Band will bring the golden sounds from the years gone by. The all-star band from the old days was put together by Tanzania’s guitarist and vocalist John Kitime in an effort to revive the Zilipendwa music. In May 2016 Wahenga Band was featured in the documentary Wahenga. The documentary sought to document and preserve the legacy of the infectious Zilipendwa music from East Africa.

Since its formation in 2012, the festival has sought to offer a platform for less known musicians and bands to showcase their artistry.  Over the past 4 years, the Festival has worked extensively with local musicians and musical groups to improve the knowledge base for artists and provide training on copyright matters which are still a challenge to many Tanzanian artists.

The festival is free and open to the public. To view the full line up visit Marahaba Festival website.