ALPHA CENTAURI is a gender-blending funk/r&b/hip-hop/afro-beat artist based in Nanaimo but often found in Vancouver and area.

Originally from Zimbabwe – ALPHA CENTAUI (real name Sean Chigumba) was educated (and later worked) as a lawyer but quickly discovered the legal life was not for him. In 2016 he arrived in Canada with the intention to fully pursue his music.

ALPHA made quick use of his new location by releasing a single (with fellow ex-pat Zimbabwean Swisher) about his experience leaving home (“Away” in 2016) which was produced by himself on a 12 year old laptop on his apartment’s kitchen table. “Away” was recently placed as the theme to a feature film, EVELYNE, which debuted at the 2018 Whistler Film Festival and is now being streamed on the Roku channel worldwide..

ALPHA quickly set his sights on getting in front of local live audiences – performing shows with local hip hop artists such as Moka Only, Illvis Freshly, Mo Moshiri (of Sweatshop Union), Ndidi Cascade, and Sirreal to refine his craft. During this time, ALPHA began a surge of songwriting – which continued into the COVID lockdowns of early 2020. Over the following 3 years he formed a band, wrote dozens of new songs, recorded an album worth of material with producer Wes Smith, and released his first song from these sessions, the afro-beat flavoured “I’ll Fly” , in January 2023. The funk-oriented “Get Your Money Up” was released in July 2023. And his latest single – the funk/hip hop inflused “Grow” – features a stunning dual stereo sax solo by Vancouver sax veteran Dominic Conway plus scratching by Canada DMC champion DJ ALLGOOD (Peter Poole). His debut album is scheduled for the summer of 2024.

ALPHA CENTAURI continues to tour and play regularly – playing festivals, special events, and opening/touring with other international touring acts in Canada and abroad. Over the past 2 year he has played numerous music festivals, most recently Victoria’s Garden City Grooves Festival. In the past few months he has opened for artists as diverse and Chali 2na / Cut Chemist (of Jurrasic 5) and Tanika Charles.