PRETORIA, Tuesday, 18th June, 2014 – ZAMBIA`S multi-award winning artist, Roberto, has launched a musical video for his latest song, `Wine It`. Roberto staged the launch at News Café, North Riding in Johannesburg on Friday last week.
The packed show which saw officials from the Zambia High Commission in Pretoria joining the ecstatic crowd to witness the launch, was prefaced by several performances from some African artists, who included Nigeria`s Victor Pedro, based in South Africa. Pedro, who happens to be an established household name in R & B in South Africa, also performed his new single which is yet to be officially released. He said he opted to be part of the show because he wanted to support Roberto who hailed from Africa just like him.
“I am here to support Roberto because Zambia is in Africa and Nigeria is in Africa. So we are all one family and music should act as a bridge to bring us together.”
Roberto`s brother , David Banda, who is better known by his stage name, General Ozzy, turned out to be the main curtain raiser with selected numbers from his albums. He also doubled as Master of Ceremonies taking over from one who had initially steered the show from start. This seemed to have gone down well with the revelers who cheered General Ozzy throughout as he engaged with the audience throughout.
Ozzy crowned his performance with his first ever track, `As a General`, which apparently catapulted him onto the local and international stages. Literally everyone got onto their feet when the `General` introduced the song.
At about midnight, Ozzy called out the main man of the night, Roberto, onto the stage much to the delight of the anxious crowed.
The 2014 Zambian Music Awards winner opened his performance with tracks from his previous albums before showing the four-minute video for the first time to the public. The video was shot last month in Lusaka.
The audience went wild when First Secretary in Charge of Tourism at the Zambia High Commission, Patricia Muyamwa, took to the stage to back Roberto as he performed the song in his new video.
Earlier, Roberto and Ozzy spiced up the show when they entertained the crowd to a contest devised around seeing who between the two was a better vocalist. As though to tease the revellers, no winner was announced at the end.
Mrs. Muyamwa said the High Commission was proud of Roberto for showing an example of a good ambassador by carrying Zambia`s flag high in a foreign country through music.
Earlier, during an interview with ‘Turas’ of Planet Image Productions, Mrs. Muyamwa, who was representing Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, His Excellency Mr. Muyeba Chikonde, said the High Commission felt it was important to be part of the launch because music was one of the most effective tools through which to market a country.
Others from the Mission who attended the launch were First Secretary in Charge of Education, Emmerentiana Bweupe and First Secretary in Charge of Economic and Trade, Mande Kauseni. South African-based Zambian artist, Chilu Lemba was also in attendance.
Roberto stormed into the music industry while staying in South Africa and recorded his first song from ‘Boom Shaka’ member, Junior Sokela’s studio. He later caught the interest of industry executives in 2003 soon after completing high school and later returned to Zambia after spending 10 years in South Africa.
Roberto bagged two awards at the 2014 Zambian Music Awards were he won ‘Best R & B Album’ and ‘Best Song Writer’ awards. He is also the 2009 ‘Song of the Year’ winner. He has staged several shows in Botswana, Rwanda, London, Uganda and held another with American Grammy Award winning artist, Eve, in Namibia.
Roberto has also represented Zambia at the MTV Base Awards in Kenya and Nigeria while his music has topped charts on radio stations in several countries in Africa, Europe and America.
Issued by:
Nicky Shabolyo
PRESS SECRETARY
ZAMBIA HIGH COMMISSION IN PRETORIA
Email: nshabolyo@gmail.com