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For WOWRAE, it all began in his sister’s marimba rehearsals during primary school. Watching her perform lit a fire in him, and by the time he hit high school, he was spending every spare moment behind the marimba or a djembe drum. “I’d get to school early, practice before lessons, then stay in the music room all afternoon,” he recalls. Those hours of relentless practice laid the foundation for his style—fast, intricate, and undeniably magnetic.
Despite his early passion, pursuing music as a career didn’t seem obvious at first. “I thought I was just okay,” WOWRAE admits. “But the more people encouraged me, the more I realized this was something I couldn’t let go of.”
Zimbabwe’s musical heritage is rich, and WOWRAE draws deeply from it. Mentored by Othnell “Mangoma” Moyo, he honed his craft while exploring the rhythms and styles of Zimbabwe’s diverse ethnic traditions. Yet, it’s his fusion of these traditional sounds with modern genres like AfroHouse and Amapiano that sets him apart.
“I want people to hear the marimba in a way they’ve never heard it before,” he says. “To feel Africa in its purest form, but with a twist that makes it fresh and contemporary.” WOWRAE’s breakout came during the pandemic when he began posting marimba covers of popular tracks online. His renditions of songs by artists like Masego, Buffalo Souljah, and Adekunle Gold caught attention far and wide, even earning nods from the original artists. Post-lockdown, he took his marimba-AfroHouse fusion live, performing to packed crowds at local venues.
“Belgrado was a game-changer,” he says, referencing his regular performances at the iconic Harare spot. “That’s where people really started to understand what I was doing—fusing the old with the new.”For WOWRAE, live performances are where the magic happens. Whether playing at festivals like Stanbic Jacaranda, Shoko, and Oktoberfest, or intimate AfroHouse gatherings, his sets are a rollercoaster of rhythm and emotion. “I want people to feel every beat, to dance like no one’s watching,” he says. “Each performance is a journey—rises, twists, and turns that leave you exhilarated.”
WOWRAE’s mission is clear: to elevate Zimbabwe’s traditional sounds to a global stage. He’s gearing up to release new AfroHouse tracks featuring the marimba as the star instrument, including a collaboration with a South African vocalist set to drop in December 2024. Beyond the studio, he’s also working on original marimba compositions for high school students, ensuring the next generation carries the torch forward.
For potential bookers, WOWRAE promises an unforgettable experience. “If you want your crowd to move, to really feel something, I’m your guy,” he says with a smile.
As he continues to push boundaries and create something truly original, WOWRAE isn’t just playing music—he’s leading a cultural revolution. One beat at a time.
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