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Talent Gore Arts Correspondent
Rising gospel choir, Pilgrim Music Group, is set to launch its third album “Pazvinoperera” at Glad Tidings Hall in Harare on Saturday this week.

The 13-member group, which sings Acapella gospel music, will launch its 11-track album with the support of Virtous of Men (Zambia), Chapel Choral (South Africa) and Behold Acapella. The group’s music director Phillip Machokoto said the death of his brother inspired them to come up with the album title.

“I was inspired by the death of my older brother. He was murdered in 2018, so the album is about how our sorrow is going to be swept away by God. It also talks about hope and love,” said Machokoto.

Machokoto said their first album did not do well since it was their first major project. “Our first album was not so good since it was our first project as a group so the response to that album was poor. The second one was our major breakthrough and we are hoping that this latest album is going to be received well,” he said.

The Pilgrim Music Group was established in the late 90s and mainly played in their church.

“We started making music in the 90s. We started as a local church choir to just provide music to the community, but in 2016 we took it up full time as a profession,” he said.

Machokoto said economic difficulties were also affecting them.

“Many groups have collapsed not because they can’t sing, but because of the difficult economic situation that is affecting everyone,” he said.

“We are not making it in the music industry because of financial problems. You find that most Zimbabweans that form groups outside the country are doing very well, so its not like we can’t do music here but there are some factors which are beyond our control.”