Portia Gwanzura | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Portia Gwanzura |
| Born | 22 May 1967 Norton |
| Origin | Mhondoro, Zimbabwe |
| Genres | Traditional music |
| Instrument(s) | Mbira Drums |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Labels | Hohodza |
| Website | https://portiagwanzura.com |
Portia Gwanzura (b. 1967) is a Manchester based Zimbabwean singer and founder of music group Hohodza Band. [1] [2] She is known for being the first woman to form and lead a band in Zimbabwe when she established Hohodza Band which performed African dance, music and culture.
Portia Gwanzura was born in Norton, Zimbabwe. She grew up in Mhondoro village, [3] she moved to Harare when she was a teenager then relocated to the United Kingdom in 2002. In 1992, Portia formed Hohodza, the first female led band to be formed in Zimbabwe which was made up of school leavers at the time. She has recorded fifteen studio albums with the band. In 1995, Hohodza was voted as third best band in Zimbabwe by The Herald (Zimbabwe) readers across Zimbabwe. [4]
She has performed live on the BBC's Andy Kershaw Show, was interviewed for the Esther Rantzen show on Granada TV and performed for the Mayor of Wigans "Christmas Cheers " fund to raise money for the local community. [5] Up until 2006 Portia Gwanzura and her band recorded fifteen albums with the eleventh being launched in England by then Junior Minister and MP for Leigh Andy Burnham. In 2007, Portia Gwanzura chosen by the Wigan Borough Council as one of the ten most recognised people in the Borough for her contribution to the local community. In 2015, Portia was presented with Station Honor Award from ZimOnline Radio.