By Advent Shoko
HARARE, Zimbabwe – Zimbabwean dancehall star Winky D has once again turned his fashion into a national talking point, after appearing in a striking black-and-gold costume during Tête-à-Tête Season 2 at Alex Sports Club in Harare on Saturday.
The outfit, featuring a dramatic horned headpiece and a prominent goat-like design across the chest, quickly divided opinion online, with some social media users comparing the imagery to Baphomet and questioning whether it carried occult or satanic symbolism.
But there is an important distinction: there is no evidence that Winky D is a member of the Illuminati or any Satanic organisation, and neither the musician nor his team has said the costume represents Baphomet or an occult figure.
Instead, the controversy fits a much older pattern around the artist, whose carefully constructed visual identity has repeatedly invited interpretation.
The costume that started the conversation
At Tête-à-Tête Season 2, Winky D changed costumes several times, turning his performance into something closer to theatre than a conventional concert.
His black-and-gold ensemble attracted the most attention.
The horned headpiece, dark styling and goat-like motif immediately became the subject of online debate. Some viewers saw religious or occult imagery, while others viewed it simply as an artistic costume designed to provoke thought and discussion.
There was also another futuristic outfit resembling an astronaut or spacesuit.
That look was easier to place within Winky D’s established artistic universe, particularly his fascination with extraterrestrial themes, including references associated with his “Extraterrestrial” and “Area 51” material.
The contrast between the two costumes is revealing.
One points towards outer space.
The other has pushed audiences towards questions about spirituality, religion and the occult.
And that is precisely where the old Winky D debate has returned.
The 2016 Satanism controversy
This is not the first time Winky D has faced accusations of Satanism.
In 2016, his hit song “Disappear” became the centre of a religious controversy after some critics interpreted its lyrics and the repeated “abracadabra” reference as evidence of satanic symbolism. Abracadabra is a chant traditionally associated with magic and spell-casting, often used as an incantation in popular culture.
Winky D rejected the accusations.
The Bigman is on record dismissing claims that he had joined Satanism as the product of people’s imagination.
The controversy did little to stop the song’s success.
“Disappear” became one of the defining songs of that period, eventually reaching No. 1 on the BBC Radio 1Xtra AfroBoss Top Five African A-Listers chart, ahead of established African stars. Some say the controversy pushed the song more.
That episode established an important part of the Winky D phenomenon: his imagery can generate a debate that becomes almost as big as the music itself.
Then came the extraterrestrial Winky D
Later in 2016, Winky D appeared on ZiFM in an elaborate alien-inspired costume while promoting his music.
The appearance generated widespread curiosity because the artist had increasingly embraced the idea of being an “extraterrestrial”, an identity that has become part of his Gafa persona.
His unusual costumes were not entirely accidental.
Winky D has long used clothing, masks and stage characters to create visual extensions of his music.
In 2020, for example, he appeared in a red jumpsuit and Salvador Dalí-style mask inspired by Money Heist. The symbolism was widely interpreted as representing resistance, while his manager Jonathan Banda offered a simpler explanation:
“There is no message behind the outfit, it’s all about art.”
That comment provides useful context for the latest controversy.
Winky D has always dressed the message
The Gafa’s costumes have rarely been ordinary stage clothes.
His famous Ninja outfits helped build the “Ninja President” image that became synonymous with his performances. Earlier reports noted that the costumes were deliberately developed as part of his stage identity.
The same approach continued with the red Money Heist outfit, prison-inspired clothing and extraterrestrial imagery.
In other words, Winky D does not simply perform songs; he builds characters, worlds and visual narratives around them.
That is particularly relevant to Tête-à-Tête Season 2.
The concert itself was marketed as more than an ordinary music show. Its promotional campaign used Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi in an AI-generated cinematic teaser set around Great Zimbabwe, giving the event a distinctly historical and spiritual dimension.
That makes the latest costume part of a much bigger visual language.
So, is Winky D really signalling Satanism?
There is currently no verified evidence to support that conclusion.
The Baphomet comparison comes from social-media interpretation of the costume, not from a statement by Winky D explaining that he intended to portray Baphomet.
And that distinction matters.
A costume can resemble an image associated with a particular religious or occult tradition without proving that the person wearing it subscribes to that belief system.
For an artist such as Winky D, whose career has repeatedly relied on symbolism, mystery and provocation, leaving audiences with questions may itself be part of the performance.
Academics have described his music as deeply connected to the everyday struggles of Zimbabweans, particularly young people in high-density communities. His work has dealt with unemployment, poverty, inequality, social pressure and political frustration, helping establish him as an important voice in contemporary Zimbabwean popular culture.
His visual language works in much the same way.
Sometimes the message is obvious.
Sometimes it is deliberately ambiguous.
And sometimes, as happened at Tête-à-Tête Season 2, the costume becomes the story.
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