Luminous illuminates Imbizo

Langalakhe Mabena

HE is on top of the world!

Nkulumane-bred fast-rising Hip Hop sensation Tinashe Mtetwa (stage name Luminous) is over the moon after he got an opportunity to perform at this year’s The Music Imbizo Festival which is the most important music business gathering on the continent.

The festival took place at Moses Mabhida in KwaZulu Natal’s Durban city from 6 to 11 September 2022.

The Music Imbizo is an international music business conference, exhibition and film festival which collects various music industry stakeholders under one roof to map a positive way forward for the music industry in Africa.

It is also a platform to exhibit, network, share expertise and knowledge.

The Ungayisusa Uzoyimela hitmaker performed on 9 September 2022 alongside Musiholiq, another youngster who rose to fame after singing a hook-on Big Zulu’s AmaMillion hit song, as well as KwaMashu’s seasoned rap bully Zakwe.

Speaking from his base in Johannesburg, Luminous said he was excited to have been chosen to be part of this year’s Imbizo festivities.

“My experience at the Music Imbizo fest was overwhelming, I still can’t believe that I was part of the performers there, I mean it’s one of the big festivals in South Africa. It feels like it was a dream and I haven’t woken up from it.

“I performed alongside great artistes and I felt like I was there on the apex with them. In as much as I went there to gain exposure I was not sidelined; I was given equal performing time (30 minutes) on stage like other artistes I shared the stage with.

“It was a very huge sphere where I managed to connect with a lot of people from different walks of life, I believe it was God who strategically placed me in that position at the right time,” said Luminous.

His major highlight was being called on stage to perform alongside Zakwe who won the Best Lyricist Award at the first South African Hip Hop Awards in 2012.

Zakwe called Luminous on stage and asked him to help him perform his joint Bathi Ngiyachoma, a rendition of a song he originally featured Zulu Boy in 2010.

Luminous was shaken to be called by the great on stage, and ran a 16 bars freestyle.

“Zakwe surprised me. After I was done with my slot, I went off stage and when I was on my way to get a drink, Zakwe called my name. At first, I thought it was a shutout but he was actually calling me to perform a song with him.

“I got nervous when I got to the stage, the moment he handed me the microphone, I forgot every lyric that I had written in my life, and I was forced to just do a freestyle and it worked out well, the rest is history,” said Luminous.

Meanwhile, Hip Hop enthusiasts are running a petition online asking Zakwe to do a collaboration with Luminous.

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