CHIWONISO, who fronts the acoustic group Chiwoniso and Vibe Culture, has collaborated with musicians Marie Boine, Brilliant, Kris Kristoffersen and Sinead O’Connor as well as singing with Women’s Voice.

Chiwoniso Maraire was born in Washington in 1976, the daughter of ethnomusicologist Dumisani Maraire.

In 1990 the family relocated to Zimbabwe, where Chiwoniso became a student at the Matare Girls High School where she sang and sometimes conducted her house choir.

In 1991 she met Herbert Schwamborne and Tony Chihota. The two young boys had formed a powerful duo rapping and making hip-hop music; they called themselves Peace of Ebony (POE). After hearing her sing, beat-box and freestyle some rap during a freestyle clash one afternoon, they asked her to join POE.

In 1994 the director of the Alliance Francaise in Harare suggested POE enter the Radio France international contest ‘Les Decouvertes’. P.O.E’s entry Vadzimu, a song they composed specifically for the competition, was a potent mixture of the Shona, English and French languages riding over a heavy mbira-laced hip hop rhythm. It won the ‘Best New Group out of Southern Africa’ award, which led to the group travelling to Madagascar where they performed at the finals of ‘Les Decouvertes.’

The following year Chiwoniso was contacted by Paris-based recording company LusAfrica Sarl and offered her first recording contract as a solo artist. Her debut solo album entitled Ancient Voices was a tremendous success and brought critical acclaim to Zimbabwean mbira music.

Chiwoniso has been fronting her acoustic group Chiwoniso and Vibe Culture for the past four years.

From 2001 to 2004, she was a core member of the multinational all-women’s band Women’s Voice, whose original members hailed from Norway, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, America and Algeria.

Her musical collaborations have included recordings with Marie Boine, Brilliant, Kris Kristoffersen and Sinead O’Connor.