Mafriq incorporates more members

HARARE – There have been changes made to the urban grooves group Mafriq which comprised the likes of Pauline, Tunga and Discord.

Not only have they added new group members but they are also including live instruments in their act.

The youthful artists are trying to change the perception that urban grooves are only good at digital music.

They have added Blenko and Sebede, while Tunga is said to have taken a spiritual leave venturing into ministering in his brother’s church.

The move to add live instruments is making them arguably the first urban grooves artists to seriously do so. The songs on their album will all have live instruments.

Speaking to the Daily News, Makalanga said the group came up with the idea of including African instruments like mbira after a European tour.

“We were mainly inspired by our United Kingdom tour that took place in 2009. In UK, we realised that musical groups there were proud of their Western culture. They wanted to see more of the African side but we just went and did what they were used to, playing digital music. We then felt like we were betraying our motherland, Africa.

“We then consented that the urban group genre should be blended by original African instruments like mbira and African drums,” said Makalanga.

In order to produce quality albums as the band’s trademark, the musical group has decided to stop releasing albums and concentrate on rehearsing their new recipe.

“We have decided to press the pause button as far as releasing new albums. Instead, we are concentrating on blending instruments to our music for the better. On daily basis, we gather at Book Café to rehearse.

“There is a need for us, artistes, to grow. If we are not shamed of our culture, then we are grown up,” he said.

The talented group is working on its forth coming album, Project Ngoma Africa, which is expected to be released in 2012. On this album, Pauline is playing mbira and Discord is found strumming a guitar.


Mafriq stole limelight with gems like Chizevezeve and Ndichamuudza Chete among others.

Upcoming artists especially in the urban grooves movement have often been accused of lacking originality therefore some have decided to try out the live bands.

Winky D played with a live band at the Lion Lager Beer Festival last month.

AfroRoots of Ndakakunyadzisai Amai fame is also trying to venture into playing live instruments.