328 fans
Stella Rambisai Chiweshe Nekati, born July 8, 1946 in Mujumi Village, Mhondoro, Zimbabwe, was a musician renowned for her skill on the mbira dzavadzimu. She learned to play between 1966 and 1969 despite colonial prohibitions against women playing the instrument. Chiweshe's first recordings were made in 1974 with Teal Record Company, including her debut single "Kasahwa", which became a gold record. In 1979, she founded Earthquake Band after facing resistance from her label. Following Zimbabwe’s independence, Chiweshe performed internationally and released several albums, including Ambuya (1987), Kumusha (1992), and Talking Mbira: Spirits of Liberation (2002). She was recognized as Ambuya Chinyakare ("Grandmother of Traditional Music") and received a Master's in Arts from the University of Harare. Chiweshe passed away on January 20, 2023.
