Sofar Sounds Harare continues to expand its events reach in the city, with its latest concert hosted at the Hyatt Regency Harare The Meikles on July 12. The globally active music platform presented an evening acoustic experience in the hotel’s Explorers Bar.
The concert united music lovers in an intimate atmosphere that redefined live music performance. As usual, a multicultural audience drifted in — some carrying cushions and blankets to settle on the floor, while others chose chairs arranged around the venue.
Located in the city centre, the 5-star hotel offers iconic architecture, charm, luxury, and easy access to major attractions and like Sofar, the Hyatt brand has a global presence with 200 hotel and resort locations in over 40 countries around the world.
Mitchel Mvundura, Probeatz, King Billius, and Norman Masamba transformed the luxurious bar into a haven of stripped back acoustics and beats marking Sofar’s 20th edition in Harare.
“From curated performances to intimate conversations between sets, it was more than a concert. It was community in motion. Here is to many more moments where sound meets soul, right here at Hyatt Regency Harare The Meikles. We are already looking forward to the next one stay tuned,” the hotel wrote on its Facebook and Instagram social media platforms.
Breaking with tradition, organisers revealed the venue in advance for the first time in three years — a temporary departure from Sofar’s global signature practice of disclosing locations just 36 hours before events across all 400 cities where the platform operates. The artists, however, remained a complete surprise, with guests only discovering them as they stepped onstage to perform.
Opening the show, contemporary singer Mitchel, backed by pianist Elisha Zimbeva, delivered a commanding performance mixing pop-opera and jazz, with powerhouse vocals. She possesses a classically trained soprano voice and can fluently reach the High C note with the precision of an opera virtuoso.
She is also versatile as a light lyric soprano, at times embodying the charm of a soubrette. This duality was on full display during her spellbinding performance of Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World (1967), where she effortlessly hit both low and high notes, combining dramatic effects with her ability to reach the whistle register—much to the audience’s amazement.
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She also performed Route 66 (Nat King Cole), Breathless (Corinne Bailey Rae) and her original composition titled Sweet Life.
“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to perform at Sofar Sounds. The experience was truly wonderful, and I am so grateful to have been a part of it,” she told Standard Style. “The audience was fantastic, and their applause and appreciation made the performance even more enjoyable. I felt valued and appreciated, and I am so glad I could share my music with them.”
Next was multi-disciplinary artist King Billius who appeared on the Sofar stage for the second time with his signature smooth and diverse presentation. Born in Bulawayo, the artist is a skilful rapper and singles out alternative hip-hop artist Tyler the Creator as well as Chance the Rapper, Nasty C, Daniel Caesar and HER as some of his influences. His artistry floats between hip hop that carries hard hitting lyrics featuring neo soul soundscapes, and US flavoured R&B. His collaboration with guitarist Kazz — who alternated between acoustic and bass guitar, skilfully enhanced by a loop station — added depth to the set. Kazz who is also a tattoo artist, is inspired by American singer-songwriter and guitarist John Mayer as well as Tracey Chapman. She leans into an acoustic, sometimes jazzy or bluesy style.
MC Michar Mushiko kept the evening flowing, introducing acts every 30 minutes. Norman Masamba — now SaMasamba — drew cheers with his deft guitar work and Shona lyrics. “It’s always a great experience playing for a crowd that you hardly see coming out to regular live music spots,” he shared during an interview. “This is what makes the whole concept epic. It reminded me of the kind of shows I used to do back in South Africa. An audience that has a greater appreciation for art. They don’t really mind how popular or unpopular the artist is but have the maturity to give time and tap into the energy and vibe along.”
When performing with a full band, the guitarist — who is set to release Kamare, a new single, at the end of the month — goes by SaMasamba and Point Blank.
In his second show at Sofar, rapper and beatboxer Probeatz created a stunning performance using nothing but his incredible voice. He is widely known for his unique ability to produce beats, vocals, and sound effects simultaneously. From imitating the sound of speeding cars to delivering a beatbox remix of the Zimbabwean national anthem, the artist proved himself to be one of the finest performers to emerge from the local scene. His brilliance left the audience in awe — particularly during his beatbox rendition of Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean, where he skilfully mixed the iconic beat with partial lyrics from the classic hit.
His beatboxing set included Jamaican dancehall, featuring Sizzla Kalonji’s 2004 release, Jah Love Preserve My Soul, but the true highlight came when he invited the audience to join his rendition of the Zimbabwean national anthem, which he skilfully laced with a dancehall beat, showcasing his versatility in the process.
Organisers believe hosting a concert at Hyatt — renowned for its luxurious hotels in prime global locations – will significantly elevate Sofar Harare’s status as one of the most sought after events on the local calendar.
“We carefully craft each Sofar show by bringing together talented artists, unique venues, and magical performances to create something truly special,” city curator Khumbulani Muleya shared.
