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Lifestyle Writer
THE script of Obert “Mebo” Chari’s six-year music career is not your typical one.

Certainly the artiste, who got thrust into the limelight recently, proves success does not have a single formula.

Sometimes success is so deep in the womb of fate that it would take a Caesarean section procedure to remove it and finally bask in the glory and birth of success.

Chari’s case easily shows it does not matter how many times a person falls but it is the number of times one stands-up to fight again that matters.

It has taken relatively unknown gospel artiste at least three solid albums and several singles for him to get some form of deserved recognition in the cut-throat music industry.

What makes his case even more interesting is the fact that “Mebo”, a song that has ushered a new wave of success for the singer is not even a “new release”.

For those not in the know; the song “Mebo” has taken national radio and social media by storm, receiving favourable ratings from the usually hard to please arts and music connoisseurs.

The song features on one of his previous albums “Mariyambutsa”, which was released in 2017.

It is the singer’s decision to focus on producing videos after releasing “unappreciated” audio tracks that has worked wonders for him.

For all intents and purposes it is hardly a stellar video but when the gods smile, they really smile wide and the stars are aligned in Chari’s favour this time around no doubt.

“This (music) industry is not easy. Not easy at all!” says Chari.

“I have been releasing music since 2012 and sometimes you feel the time has come for a breakthrough but that is not the case. I’m beginning to see light in my career years after I released my first album and this is all because of the video ‘Mebo’,” adds Chari.

Previous flops have not deterred the rising singer. If anything, they have made him stronger.

Chari is not bothered about his previous flops, he rather decided to call it a trial run period.

“Now that I have an album that is doing well. I would say I was preparing my way, a trial run maybe.”

“It’s not easy to go into the studio so several times and fail to come up with a hit. This is my third album which I released in 2017.”

“I decided to do videos for the album a year later and that is when the album made the impact. I then realised there are a lot of factors that come to play to come up with a hit.”

“Some of the songs are good on videos while can make with the audio version only. But to me, the most important thing is that this song (Mebo) and the whole album have paved a way for me in the music industry,” he adds.

Chari is a member of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) and is backed by the Hakireni band which consists of his three siblings. The unmistakeable dances that ZCC members are known for can be glimpsed in the video.

He is a gospel musician but touches much on people’s social lives, inspired by his bishop Nehemiah Mutendi who teaches on that subject.

“I think music runs in my family. My group Harikeni comprises of three members from my family — two brothers and a sister (Estery, Darlington and Lamboth.

“They are part of the people who encouraged me to venture into music assuring me the support and I am now seeing it,” says Chari.

“I am gospel musician but I mostly touch on people’s day to day lives. It’s hard to pick the gospel message in most of the songs but what is important for me is to teach people.

“I am inspired by my bishop who is into teaching as well.”

“We were mesmerised by the reception of the song and decided to boost Chari’s career and give the Chegutu man a platform at our Jam Sessions,” said Biggie Chinoperekweyi of City Sports Bar where Chari is playing next this coming Monday.

“We are best inclined to helping new names rise and be noticed and we hope the fortunes will change for the better for Chari,” Chinoperekweyi added.

A story of an uptown girl who still loves her man in spite of his lack, Mebo is the epic love tale.

And remember Macarena? Los Del Rio who sang the song and made a hit out of it was formed in 1962 only to score a massive hit in 1996.

So at least Obert Chari can count himself lucky after a decade. A little comfort perhaps?