Tsungai Tsikirai

Tsungai Tsikirai is an award-winning singer-songwriter and dancer, born and raised in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and based in the United Kingdom. From lively African traditional to soul and ballads, her performances unite the power of the voice with colour, rhythm, and movement. She began performing at the age of 15 in her high school drama club, Iyasa Performing Arts Group, which grew to international fame. Tsungai toured with the company locally in Zimbabwe and later took their performances to South Africa, Botswana, and the USA. In 2002, Tsungai relocated to the United Kingdom, where she continued to perform. She collaborated with performing arts company Siyaya and featured on their album, Futhi Njalo, and performed with them at Glastonbury in 2010. Tsungai was also a part of the UK gospel group Free to Worship and toured the USA with them in 2014. She has also worked with Sheffield-based choir, Sosa-Xa, being involved in their BBC Last Choir Standing workshops, and she also worked and toured with Tavaziva dance company, led by Bawren Tavaziva. Tsungai's passion for the arts saw her partnering with other artists from southern Africa to form a performing arts group, Flame Lily Arts. Although she has a flair for dance, her greatest passion is singing. Some of her musical influences are the legendary sounds of Miriam Makeba, Chiwoniso Maraire, Brenda Fassie, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, and Angelique Kidjo, to mention a few. In 2014 she was awarded Best Music Female Artist at the ZIMMA Awards, and in 2015 Mporiro Festival awarded Tsungai for her contribution to contemporary music. Tsungai launched her debut album, Rova Ngoma, at The Breaking Boundaries Concert in 2016, an event aimed at promoting cultural diversity and empowering women through arts and community development. She has recently featured at The British Museum's Faiths In Tune Festival, ZimFest Live 2017 & 2019, Notting hill Carnival 2017, Africa Fashion Week Brussels 2018, and held choral singing classes at ZimFest U.S.A in 2018. In 2020, her Breaking Boundaries online concert was launched celebrating Women in Music. “I aim to empower, entertain, educate and inspire individuals through my music. I continue to promote women's empowerment in music through collaborative projects and by sharing stories and experiences. I believe that together we can Break Boundaries and achieve more. l share a piece of me with the world through my performances.” — Tsungai Tsikirai