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Zimpraise

Lovemore Chikova Christian Entertainment
Last week I indicated that the growth of gospel music in Zimbabwe took a rather unexpected knock between 2000 and 2010 when high-sounding-nothing sort of groups flooded the scene. Such groups strived to make a mark, but their major let down was their lack of staying power.

Within a few years of ruffling the airwaves, such groups simply vanished soon after and now, a few years later, almost all the gospel music groups from this period have vanished.

Towards the end of the decade, church choirs started sprouting up to claim a major stake among gospel music lovers.

Not that such choirs were not around before. Far from it.

Church choirs have always been a part of the church history in Zimbabwe and singing competitions at all levels have always been held among such choirs.

But the disadvantage of the traditional church choirs was that they were always confined within the walls of the church.

Traditional churches such as the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Seventh Day Adventist Church and Methodist Church have always had choirs at different levels of their branches.

But very few of such choirs opted to record their music and this could be mainly because they were singing church hymns which were already familiar with their audiences.

The choirs never made a great impact compared to those which are emerging now.

Since independence in 1980, Zimbabweans mainly relied on South Africa for recorded church choir music.

This made South African gospel choirs such as Holy Spirits Choir, Holy Cross Choir and the Soweto Gospel Choir very popular in Zimbabwe.

In fact, the South African gospel music choirs competed quite successfully with local music on the charts, sometimes topping the radio play lists.

But the rise of what I call modern church choirs can rightly be attributed to the popularisation of Western church choir music in Zimbabwe.

Of late, Zimbabweans are taking to listening to Western gospel musicians like Michael W Smith, Hillsong, Kirk Franklin, Israel Houghton, Ron Kenoly, Donnie McClurkin and Don Moen.

Almost all these musicians and their ilk use choirs as their back-up bands.

It is the influence by these popular musicians on emerging Zimbabwean gospel singers which has led to a change of approach in gospel music.

The emerging musicians are taking to recording live DVDs, which the traditional church choirs did not venture into.

All of a sudden, there is a realisation that church choir is a unique way of singing which can bring out the beauty of some songs.

It is indeed true that there are some songs which come out better and more entertaining if they are sang by a choir compared to a solo musician.

In other words, a choir becomes more like a family because its members serve together and care for one another.

It seems in Zimbabwe the realisation that choirs are the in-thing is driving everyone else to the genre.

This explains why of late solo gospel musician Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave launched her own gospel music choir.

Other solo musicians, like Sabastian Magacha, have also recorded lived DVDs backed by a choir.

Popular gospel music singer Minister Michael Mahendere has also formed his own Direct Worship choir which has since recorded two live DVDs – “Getting Personal with God 1” and “Getting Personal with God 2”.

Some of the songs on the albums are rocking the airwaves on all radio stations in the country and are being well received by the audiences.

The Chitungwiza Harmony Singers, which has been collecting awards both at home and abroad, has been on the scene for much longer, but is going stronger because of the new dispensation.

Celebration Choir Led by Pastor Bonnie Deuschle, Celebration Choir is still going strong.

As one of the more established church choirs, some of the emerging choirs are taking a lot of lessons from veteran singers within this outfit.

The church choir’s song “Tambira” is the most well known and has since become popular in the region and is often performed by groups in South Africa.

Albums done by this choir include “Change the World”, “This is Our Story” and “Singing with the Angels”.

ZimPraise Choir is a popular contemporary gospel musical group which is also dominating the music scene in the country.

The group is made up of singers from different Christian backgrounds and denominations and was founded in 2006.

As a result of the mixture of singers from diverse backgrounds, the choir has managed to deliver songs that cater for a wider audience.

Its well known song which has taken the nation by storm is “Sungano” but the choir also has albums titled “Season 1”, “Season 2”, “Season 3” “Season 4” and “Season 5”.

UFIC Choir has also been doing well and at the moment is topping the Star FM’s Gospel Greats with its song “Makanaka Jesu”, while its other song “Zvichanaka” is at number five on the charts.

The choir’s received five nominations at the 2014 Zimbabwe Music Awards last year and went on to claim gongs in two categories.

The choir has released live DVDs such as “We are Family”, “Divine Solutions Volume 1”, “Divine Solutions Volume 2”, Divine Solutions Volume 3” and “Revival Songs”.

Other gospel choirs which have recorded their music and live DVDs of late include Family of God Church Choir, Zaoga Braeside Church Choir, Purple Pride Family, Zimworship Choir and Anointed Praise Zimbabwe.

There are also numerous gospel music choirs scattered across the country which are doing quite well in their communities.

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