THIS year’s annual SAMA Festival, the UK will feature the first family show in the event’s history, which will showcase the creme de la creme of Zimbabwe’s musicians this Easter holiday.
Dubbed the Diaspora Insurance SAMA Festival UK 2022, the event is powered by Y2K Entertainment Music & Arts and sponsored by Diaspora Insurance. The event will kick off at the Leicester Athena on April 15.
It will follow up with a family show on the next day at the London O2 Indigo in Peninsula Square. The Diaspora Insurance 10th Anniversary Gala Dinner will close the festival on April 17 at Raddison Blu Edwardian.
Y2K Entertainment Music & Arts Director Alex Marapara says it has not been an easy road to organise the family show.
“That’s all sorted now, and we expect families to come. Everything is smooth and now at the business end of things,” Marapara told the EnterSportNews.
“Having a family show at O2 means having new fans who had not been able to attend SAMA because of childcare issues.”
The SAMA Festival UK failed to take place the past two years owing to the Covid-19 pandemic induced lockdowns and travel restrictions.
Artistes lined up to perform include this year’s festival debutants Alick Macheso, the King of Sungura, Mambo Dhuterere and Nox Guni. Jah Signal, Selmor Mtukudzi, Baba Harare, and Winky D complete the list.
Also to grace the occasion, DJs Welly T, SAB, DJ Mel, Fatha Ansy, MCs Empress Trisha, Jah Hannief and Stage King Alfred.
“We are also pleased that children will be experiencing our music and culture,” added Marapara.
He also envisages unlimited entertainment owing to the eased Covid-19 restriction worldwide.
“There is high demand. It could also be due to the quality of artistes, excellent venues and fans not been able to attend gigs for quite some time,” he said.
Y2K Entertainment Music & Arts Ltd is an award-winning Southern African promoter in the United Kingdom whose other Director is Fredrick Matenga.
It promotes musicians with African origins, predominantly from the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
This led to the birth of the Southern African Music and Arts known as (SAMA) Festival, an annual two-day festival weekend inaugurated on the Easter calendar.
There is also Zimbabwe (SAMA Festival ZIM) held annually.
According to Y2K Entertainment Music & Arts, the venues where the festival will take place are the Athena Leicester, a proper music auditorium, and the O2 London, which is world-class.
“Revelers should expect fireworks and quality production in both venues,” said Marapara.
“We are expecting an excellent festival and the artists are always excited about coming to the UK. We have fans flying from Scotland, Ireland and Europe. This is a trendy music festival.”
The event organisers have decided not to live stream the festival but instead record and make it available on Y2K YouTube TV.
They are also making a film documentary about artists arriving, press conferences, work behind the screens and the music festival itself.
