{{short description|Zimbabwean musician (born 1979)}} {{BLP sources|date=November 2018}} {{EngvarB|date=October 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}} {{Infobox musical artist | image = Edith WeUtonga.jpg | image_size = | image_upright = 1.20 | caption = Here at HIFA 2011 at the Global Stage | birth_name = Edith Katiji | alias = Mhamha Bass | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1979|04|22}} | birth_place = Kadoma, Zimbabwe | origin = Harare, Zimbabwe | death_date = | death_place = | genre = Afro jazz & Zimbabwean Traditional | occupation = Singer-songwriter | instrument = Bass guitar, acoustic guitar, mbira and drums | years_active = 2000–present | label = Family Affair, Sheer | past_member_of = So What | website = }}
'''Edith Katiji''',<ref name=nd1>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/2015/05/edith-weutonga-speaks-on-her-life/|title=Edith WeUtonga speaks on her life|last=Samukange|first=Tinotenda|date=12 May 2015|website=News Day|access-date=24 September 2018}}</ref> known professionally as '''Edith WeUtonga''' (born 22 April 1979), is a Zimbabwean Afro jazz and traditional music artist, bass guitarist,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2018/07/29/edith-weutonga-gains-international-acclaim|title=Edith WeUtonga gains international acclaim|last=Mananavire|first=Bridget|date=29 July 2018|website=Daily News|access-date=26 November 2018|archive-date=26 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126180737/https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2018/07/29/edith-weutonga-gains-international-acclaim|url-status=dead}}</ref> songwriter, actress and music teacher. She was born in Kadoma, which lies approximately 166 kilometres (103 mi), by road, southwest of Harare. Being of Malawi origin and growing up in Bulawayo she sings in four different languages mainly Shona, Chichewa, Ndebele and English. Her band is called '''''Utonga''''' <ref name="A new dawn for Edith">{{Cite web|url=https://www.herald.co.zw/a-new-dawn-for-edith/|title=A new dawn for Edith|date=10 May 2013|website=The Herald|access-date=19 June 2020}}</ref> which means dawn. She is one of only a few bass guitarists<ref name=nd1/> in Zimbabwe who is also a lead vocalist for a band. She also plays the acoustic guitar, mbira and drums.
== Career == After completing her secondary education, she pursued music with the Army School of Music<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20846&catid=42&Itemid=74|title=Zimbabwe shows off latest world music export|last=Musasizi|first=Simon|date=9 September 2012|website=The Observer|access-date=1 October 2018|archive-date=30 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130113046/https://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20846&catid=42&Itemid=74|url-status=dead}}</ref> at the Brady Barracks, in Zimbabwe's second city of Bulawayo, where she started off as a vocalist with the Army Band and soon moved on to the city's famed Amakhosi Township Square Cultural Centre. While there, she joined a six-month musical instruments crash course for women musicians.
This gave birth to the all-female band from Amakhosi called '''''Amakhosikazi''''' ["Queens"],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.herald.co.zw/hifa-heralds-new-dawn-for-edith//|title=Hifa heralds new dawn for Edith|date=28 March 2012|website=The Herald|access-date=19 June 2020}}</ref> where she started off as composer and lead vocalist for the band and later discovered her passion for the bass guitar. Amakhosikazi disbanded in mid-2006.
Katiji the bassist formed a new band from the remnants of Amakhosikazi, called '''So What?!'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zimeye.net/2015/03/31/meet-the-rising-zimbabwean-legend-edith-weutonga-2/|title=Meet the Rising Zimbabwean Legend…Edith WeUtonga|date=31 March 2015|website=Zim Eye|access-date=1 October 2018}}</ref> The group relocated to Harare and joined the live music circuit at many of the popular city-centre venues, including the famous Book Café and Mannenberg, The Kraal, Jazz 105 and Sports Diner. In 2008 So What?! went through some changes after a few key members left for greener pastures as the economic situation<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/oct/09/zimbabwe|title=Zimbabwe's inflation rate surges to 231,000,000%|last=McGreal|first=Chris|date=9 October 2008|journal=The Guardian|access-date=25 September 2018}}</ref> in the country worsened. The new, rather depleted version of So What?! continued to meet their music commitments – until her near-fatal car accident.
Katiji is married to Zimbabwean filmmaker Elton Mjanana and they have two children together. In 2019, Edith graduated from Midlands State University (MSU) with an Honours degree in Music Business, Musicology and Technology.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nehandaradio.com/2019/07/23/edith-weutonga-urges-musicians-to-go-to-school/|title=Edith WeUtonga urges musicians to go to school|last=McGreal|first=Sibanda|date=23 July 2019|website=Nehanda Radio|access-date=19 June 2020}}</ref>
A founding president<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://businesstimes.co.zw/edith-weutonga-makes-history/|title=Edith WeUtonga makes history |last=Musa|first=Patience|date=2 June 2021|website=Business Times|access-date=3 June 2021}}</ref> of the Zimbabwe Music Union(ZIMU),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://africultures.com/murmures/?no=16263|title=New Union to Unite Zim Musicians, Fight Piracy|date=November 2014|website=Africultures|access-date=3 June 2021}}</ref> in 2021 Katiji became the first black woman to be elected as the Vice president of the International Federation of Musicians (FIM) in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/zims-edith-weutonga-named-international-federation-musicians-vice-president|title=Zim's Edith WeUtonga named International Federation of Musicians vice-president|last=Sumba|first=Ano|date=30 May 2021|website=Music Africa|access-date=3 June 2021}}</ref>
== Life-threatening accident == Katiji had near-fatal car accident in July 2008, when she sustained serious head and facial injuries and was in a coma for almost two weeks. The accident left her physically scarred on her face and she lost a friend who had been in the passenger seat.<ref name="A new dawn for Edith"/>
== Utonga - A New Dawn == During her recovery, she had discovered a new sound within herself. She felt that her scrape with death, followed shortly afterward by the birth of her second son, presented her with a new beginning in life, calling the new sound '''Utonga''', meaning "dawn", and re-branded herself and her band as '''Edith weUtonga''' ("Edith of Dawn").<ref name="A new dawn for Edith"/>
== Acting == Edith is also an actor. While at Amakhosi, she featured in productions including Athol Fugard's ''Hello & Goodbye'', the Greek classic ''Lysistrata'', Raisedon Baya's ''Tomorrow's People''. Away from Amakhosi, she scored leading roles in ''Alone But Together'' by Wonder Guchu and also ''Silent Words'' by Tawanda Kanegoni, which made its debut at the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA). It was Cont Mhlanga, founder of Amakhosi, who introduced her to the small screen by giving her a leading role as Mai Shupi in the TV drama ''Sinjalo''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://zimbabwedigitalnews.com/2020/06/05/there-are-many-great-musicians-and-creatives-and-then-there-is-edith-weutonga/|title=There are many great musicians and creatives – and then there is Edith WeUtonga|last=Royce|first=Mapaike|date=5 June 2020|website=ZIMBABWE DIGITAL NEWS|access-date=19 June 2020|archive-date=20 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200620024342/http://zimbabwedigitalnews.com/2020/06/05/there-are-many-great-musicians-and-creatives-and-then-there-is-edith-weutonga/|url-status=dead}}</ref> She won an award for her performance. She also toured locally and regionally with theatre production by ArtsLab called ''Standing in Pairs'', which performed at the Grahamstown Festival.
== Awards and nominations == {| class="wikitable" !Year !Award{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} !Category !Result |- |2018 |Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards (RoilBAAs)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chronicle.co.zw/edith-weutonga-gets-1st-award-in-18-years/|title=Edith WeUtonga gets 1st award in 18 years|last=Ndlovu|first=Bongani|date=31 May 2018|website=Chronicle|access-date=1 October 2018}}</ref> |Outstanding Alternative Music |Won |- |2018 |Women Achievers Awards |Women in the Arts |Won |- |2014 |National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2014/02/24/weutonga-tears-into-nacz-over-nama|title=WeUtonga tears into NACZ over NAMA|last=Chaya|first=Vasco|date=24 February 2014|website=Daily News|access-date=1 October 2018|archive-date=21 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321121907/https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2014/02/24/weutonga-tears-into-nacz-over-nama|url-status=dead}}</ref> |Outstanding Female Musician |Nominated |- |2014 |Zimbabwe Music Awards (ZIMA)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.creativeloop.co.zw/2014/10/zima-awards-winners-list/|title=ZIMA Awards Winners List|last=Mbewe|first=Maston|date=30 October 2014|website=Creative Loop|access-date=26 November 2018}}</ref> |Best Female Musician Best Alternative Act |Nominated |- |2012 |National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2012/08/new-day-for-weutonga/|title=New day for WeUtonga|date=28 August 2012|website=The Zimbabwean|access-date=1 October 2018}}</ref> |Outstanding Actress |Won |}
== Discography ==
=== Albums ===
* ''Utonga'' (Family Affair Productions), 2010 * ''Kwacha'' (Family Affair Productions), 2013 * ''Madalitso'' (Family Affair Productions), 2018
=== Singles ===
* "Ngizohamba" (2003)
=== Collaborations ===
* "Agodoka The Remix feat Outspoken",<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.herald.co.zw/edith-weutonga-goes-wild/|title=Edith WeUtonga goes wild|last=Phiri|first=Brenda|date=9 June 2015|website=The Herald|access-date=24 September 2018}}</ref> 2014 * "Ndaposha" featuring Clare Nyakujara (POVOAfrika & Family Affair Productions), 2014
=== Featured by ===
* Publish The Quest: "Never Again, 2014 * Publish The Quest: "Shine", 2014
=== Compilations ===
* ''Zimbabwe Awake Vol. 1'' [Africa Awake CD series]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sheerpublishing.co.za/zimbabwe-awake-vol-1/|title=Zimbabwe Awake Vol.1 [Africa Awake CD series]|last=Blumenfeld|first=Nicky|date=15 February 2014|website=Sheer Publishing Africa|access-date=25 September 2018}}</ref> 2014 * ''SpeakSing+ Vol 01''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://soundcloud.com/povoafrika/sets/speak-sing-vol-1|title=Speak Sing Vol.1|last=POVOAfrika|website=Soundcloud|access-date=24 September 2018}}</ref> 2014
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{commons category}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:WeUtonga, Edith}} Category:1979 births Category:21st-century guitarists Category:21st-century women guitarists Category:21st-century Zimbabwean women singers Category:Living people Category:Zimbabwean guitarists