The band proceeded to Maputo, Mozambique for the Inter-Regional Finals where they came second from a total of six Southern African bands from Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Rutendo was awarded the Ethno-World award for being the most outstanding performer at the regional finals. Part of that award is a tour of three countries in which Rutendo embarked on last week.
Ethno-World is a folk/traditional music festival that takes place annually in several European countries such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark and starting this year Tanzania. It features young musicians between the ages of 18 and 25, giving them a platform to share and exchange ideas in collaboration with ethno organisations such as Jeunesses Musicales International and Music Crossroads International.
Ethno -World is a great opportunity for cultural music exchange as it features young musicians from all over the world. It is conducted on a one-teach-one basis, workshops and jam sessions which are put together under the supervision of musical mentors after which concerts are put up.
In the past bands like Bongo Love, Club Shanga, Mokoomba, Gwarimba, African Destiny have won the Music Crossroads competition and toured Europe several times. Mokoomba and Bongo Love continue to enjoy regular tours in Europe and the United States respectively.
Savannah Afros made their debut appearance at HIFA this year where they put up a sterling performance on the Coca Cola Green. Rutendo, who fronts for the group, has performed regularly at the Book Café and at the Zimbabwe-German Society's Acoustic Night as well as at several live music joints in Harare.
Rutendo’s talent has been recognised at national and regional level several times before. She has participated in several competitions such as the CBZ A Academy where she madeit into the top 20 in 2007. She also made it into the UMOJA Cultural Flying Carpet in 2011, where she performed together with artists from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Norway and Mozambique.
Whilst part of the UMOJA team of 2011, Rutendo toured Zimbabwe performing at various venues.
Then this year she made it to the last round of the Starbrite Talent Search Competition.
Aged 21, Rutendo holds a National Certificate in Music from the Zimbabwe College of Music and says she would like to further her studies in music.
Rutendo left Harare for Stockholm, Sweden on the June 28, and will proceeds to Zagreb, Croatia on the July 8. She makes her last stop in Copenhagen, Denmark and returns home at the end of July.
That will be just in time for her to take part in the Starbrite finals scheduled for August.
