Ammara Brown’s moment of truth
By Bongani Ndlovu
Next Friday, Ammara Brown will be put to the test when she hosts her first mega concert in Harare at what might be a turning point in her career as she is on a quest to penetrate the African market.
To help achieve her goal, Ammara an Idols East Africa runner up — has invited Nigeria’s Mr Eazi with whom she collaborated with on track Svoto to share the Glamis Stadium stage. Dubbed “Ammartia Ignite”, Ammara has already taken a bold step in the hosting of this event by changing the venue from the HICC to the outdoor Glamis which has a much bigger capacity.
Apart from Mr Eazi, Ammara’s concert will have the skills and bravado of Winky D on stage, arguably Zim hip-hop’s hottest property Takura, Tammy Moyo and ExQ. Her sister Chengeto and Judgement Yard complete the lineup.
Looking at the venue selection, it is clear Ammara wants to leave a mark as this is no child’s play. She wants to be one the few women from Zimbabwe to have a huge turnout at the daunting Glamis Stadium which only a few like Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo fill.
Free shows such as the Chibuku Road to Fame finals which usually have a star-studded line-up rarely fill this venue. But hopefully, fans from Zimbabwe will heed Ammara’s clarion call for them to support her by thronging the stadium next week in order to help take-off her career into Africa.
This show will also mark the beginning of Ammara’s Sadc tour that will take her to Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, Malawi, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and Namibia. This is quite a good selection of countries as it shows that she wants to conquer her immediate surroundings in the region first before she moves out into the rest of the continent.
Ammara’s brand seems to have outgrown the Zimbabwean market as her music is loved in countries like Zambia and Botswana as some nightclubs there play it.
After being nominated and subsequently winning various awards in the country, it was prudent that she becomes the next entertainment export after Jah Prayzah hence her decision to set up base in South Africa was a bold one and also timely as she now has better access to the African market through being in the mix of Mzansi showbiz.
Her collaboration with one of Nigeria’s most sought after artistes Mr Eazi is testament to this.
It remains to be seen if Ammara will be able to attract a sizeable crowd at her Glamis show. If she does not, she must at least put up a good show that will dazzle those who will turn up. The Chronicle.
