If you are a fan of Afro pop and R n B music, you have probably heard of Kim Makumbe, the rising star from Harare, Zimbabwe. Her catchy single Body, which celebrates body positivity and speaks against body shaming, has been on Trace Africa music channel, reaching millions of people across the continent. Kim Makumbe’s success story is a testament to the impact of the Scripts and Bars creative incubator programme.
About Scripts and Bars
Scripts and Bars is a creative incubation and accelerator programme that has supported 150 emerging music and literature creative entrepreneurs across Zimbabwe. The programme awarded 34 grants, provided market access opportunities through more than 15 showcase platforms, and has led to the creation of 109+ digital products and 145+ jobs. It reached more than 2 million people digitally through radio and social media engagement. Scripts and Bars offered financial support in the form of grants, as well as digital and enterprise skills training, showcase platforms, access to distributors and agents, and networking opportunities.
Kim Makumbe was one of the 100 participants selected to participate in the programme in 2022. Before that, she had released a few singles which had struggled to get regular rotation on radio. She had also released a few music videos that had received a bit of airplay on local TV but had struggled to breakthrough on major music TV stations such as Trace Africa to reach a wider audience. She felt frustrated and discouraged by the lack of support and exposure for her music.
However, through the Scripts and Bars programme, Kim Makumbe accessed valuable financial and technical support services that helped her enterprise as a music brand grow. Empowered from the digital and enterprise skills training and through grant support from Scripts and Bars, she produced and release a single called Body accompanied by a music video. She worked with talented producers, writers, and directors who helped her polish her craft and express her vision. She put into practice knowledge gained on how to market her music online, use social media effectively, and connect with potential fans and collaborators.
From local to International audiences
Body was released in July 2022 on most music streaming platforms globally. It received positive feedback from listeners who resonated with its empowering message and catchy beat. Facilitated through Scripts and Bars, the music video for Body was submitted to Trace Africa music channel, which playlisted it in March 2023. Since then, Body has been on rotation on the channel, reaching millions of people across Africa. This has opened the door for Kim Makumbe’s music to reach a wider audience and create more opportunities for her career. Her follow up single Ndazvipira was also successfully playlisted on Trace Africa.
following this success Kim Makumbe has featured on Zimbabwean superstar ExQ’s latest album Enoch where she features on the hit song Mashoko. Kim’s success has also given her access to stages on major festivals such as Unplugged and Stanbic Jacaranda Music Festival in Zimbabwe.
Kim Makumbe has established a full time career as a music artist and her brand continues to grow as she pays close attention to not only her artistic prowess but the business side of her music. She says:
“Scripts and Bars has been a life-changing experience for me. It has given me the confidence, skills, and network I needed to take my music to the next level. I would recommend Scripts and Bars to any aspiring creative who wants to take their career to the next level and make an impact with their work.”
If you want to learn more about Kim Makumbe and her music, you can follow her on Instagram @kimmakumbe or visit her website www.kimmakumbe.com. You can also stream her songs on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and more.