Zimbabweans to shine in Coventry through Vanny Radio

By Tinashe Sibanda | Nehanda Showbiz |

Owned by Thaddeus Atiemo from Togo, Vanny Radio has become the new online radio platform where Zimbabweans continue to shine amongst others from various African countries and beyond with Zimbabwean presenters like Kudzai ‘KayCie’ Chipadza putting the country on the global map.

KayCie has taken advantage of Zimbabwean artistes going to the United Kingdom for performances by catching up with them and bringing their voices to Vanny Radio.

“We have our slots on Tuesday 6-8, Friday 4-6 and Friday 8-10pm were we play Zimbabwean music promoting fresh talent and also the ones that have been there for a while during this Prime Time,” KayCie told Nehanda Radio in a telephone interview.

He said his aim was to do whatever he could to put Zimbabwean music on the map through Vanny Radio.

“I was surprised with the support I got from fellow Zimbabweans in Diaspora and the listeners keep increasing each week and local and international artists have started enquiring about getting interviewed during the show,” he added.

KayCie said he was happy to recently get the cream of Zimbabwean Dancehall musicians in the studio to talk about their new music and the show that they had gone to perform at in the UK and these artistes included Shinsoman, Tocky Vibes and Freeman.

Vanny Radio is set to host Takura in October and they are in talks with Bodyslam for an end of this month feature as well, KayCie revealed.

Vanny Radio CEO, Atiemo on a video he posted on social media said it had all started in a small dining room in his house with about 20-25 people taking part.

“It got to a part where we had to leave the house with audiences growing; so in 2014 we went to a community centre in the area and opened another station in the city centre,” he said.

He said Vanny Radio had a variety of people from various nationalities to be showcased and his dream was for it to be one of the biggest radio stations in the UK of which they were certainly getting there.

He said their biggest challenge was that they were still trying to go to FM and DEB and was working towards the licencing.

Atiemo added that they also intended to train the working personnel to further their presenting gifts by providing means by which they could get professional qualifications for their future employment including even television.

They have so far covered events including at their Community Refugee Centre, Party in the Park, Godiva Festival (2015) and Embracing Africa (2015); as well as many more events to come across the UK. Nehanda Radio