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Kundai Marunya,Arts Correspondent

He may not be the most talented artiste around, but hard work and determination have paid off for cleric-cum-musician, Prophet Tapiwa Freddy, who topped the 2019 music charts.

Four of his albums were not in the public domain, until his latest one, which thrust him into the limelight.

Prophet Freddy, who speaks with a  shriek voice, shocked many musicians and fans alike, after releasing “Ka Step Kenyasha”, which went on to become a household playlist.

He has unmistaken vocal clarity, lyrics relevant to day-to-day life experiences and submissive instrumentation.

The song is being played everywhere, on radio stations, in kombis, long-distance buses and at parties.

Interestingly, the album continues to rock in the new year, with many people still asking for it on radio music requests.

His consistency in releasing new songs and videos, all being aggressively pushed on social media, saw the musician taking over the airwaves.

Singing songs relevant to what is happening in today’s society such as prostitution and the quest for riches has also contributed to his popularity.

Last year, Prophet Freddy dominated the music charts, with his video “Kastep Kenyasha”, which won the Best Gospel Video on the ZBC TV Top 50.

It was also sixth on overall positions.

The track was number 1 on Radio Zimbabwe Gospel charts while “Nezuro Haasi Nhasi”, which features Mathias Mhere, was number 47 on Star FM charts.

On National FM Top 50, “Bag” topped the charts while “Munyama WeGonzo” was second in Radio Zimbabwe’s Coca Cola Top 50 and third on Diamond FM.

“I give credit to God and to the fans who voted,” said Prophet Freddy.

To spread his music, the cleric rides on collaborations.

He has worked with artistes such as Bethany Pasinawako-Ngolomi, Pax Gomo, Tocky Vibes and Baba Harare, all in a bid to reach a wider audience.

“Collaborating with circular musicians is a way of broadening the ‘nets’. It is a way of luring everyone to the gospel,” said Prophet Freddy.

He said God’s work comes first and music was secondary, and also a critical tool for evangelism.

Apart from spreading the gospel and music, Prophet Freddy is also a businessperson with interests in gold mining.

With four albums to his credit, Prophet Freddy is now working on his fifth album titled “Area 1”.

It is set to be released later this  year.

“I am yet to finish recording at Lyton Ngolomi’s Studio,” he said.