WORSHIP ADDICTS RELEASE COMPILATION ALBUM

Worship Addicts are in another flight of creativity with a hot new ditty entitled Kuregerera in Advance.

The single is featured on the group’s compilation Worship Addicts Select One which was recently launched at AFM’s annual convention in Rufaro.

Also featured on the compilation are tracks Unonakirwa, Ndinobudirira Chete, Show Me Your Face, Ndinoshuvira, Looking to You and Kune Zita.

The compilation carry the group’s signature worshipper-at-heart ethic, while indulging touches of humour in some of the tracks.

Kuregerera in Advance is an emotive and lyrically varied track about forgiveness where the persona changes from a cheated spouse to a dumped child to a maligned pastor, in each case granting unreserved forgiveness to offenders.

Worship Addicts leader Takesure Zamar Ncube’s imposing voice jolts the audience to attention from the outset as he alternates life conflicts but urges the triumph of forgiveness.

The Beitbridge-born psalmist told Christian Public Square that Kuregerera in Advance that he penned the track to promote forgiveness and peace in families, churches and, ultimately, the nation.

“In the song I handle different situations. There is a child who is calling to an irresponsible father whom he has never seen all his life but he has a forgiving heart which say daddy wherever you are just know that I love you,” Zamar said.

“It challenges even a pastor to say his congregation he is aware of the raft they say about him but he has already forgiven them.

“When we fall in love, we are fully aware that the companions to whom we tie ourselves are fallible hence the concept of forgiving in advance,” he said.

“There you are on Whatsapp, flirting with other guys, my heart is aching but I forgive you. As the Lord forgave me, I have already forgiven you in advance,” translates some of the lyrics.

“Mama, I heard you once dumped me into a bin but I forgive you... Daddy, we have never met, I heard you disowned pregnancy, but I love and forgive as the Lord forgave me.

“As for you congregants, I know you will backbite me: ‘The pastor is stealing money; he no longer has power, he no longer has the  message, his wife can’t dress’ but I forgive you as the Lord forgave me, I also forgive you,” goes the song.

The other tracks are culled from different albums in the group’s devotional series.

“Unonakirwa,” humorous jam with a sungura-like feel, is about the thrill of having the Holy Spirit in one’s life.

The persona narrates his first day in a charismatic church when he is invited upfront but determines not to fall lest he compromise his swagger in front girls. Before he knows it he is on the floor in glossolalic convulsions.

Ndinobudirira Chete urges Christian to be wary of making wrong confession since life and death are in power of the tongue.

One of the group’s most popular track Ndinoshuvira is a laid-back but forceful worship track where the persona longs for the presence of God as a hart pants for a drinking brook. 

Kune Zita points to Jesus as the sinless Saviour and omnipotent Lord to whom every knee must bow.

Show Me Your Face and Looking to You extol the Lord Jesus and express a meek and dependent attitude to God.

Zamar has previously recorded six albums with the Worship Addicts band which was incepted in 2010. Their debut offering was Praise Addicts Vol 1 in 2011.

The group has proven to its prolificacy by recording six more albums, some of them double-CDS, in the space of three years.

MAGACHA'S AFRICAN PRAISE RELEASES SINGLES

Sabastian Magacha’s gangly new band, African Praise, has dropped four singles pending an album before the end of the month.

Two of the singles, Rovambira featuring ZCC Mbungo Stars and Kwekuturira, a remastered rendition of Leonard Zhakata’s Gomba Remarara are already enjoying considerable airplay.

The other two jams are Hande a dancehall tune by Magacha’s young brother, Tinashe, and a worship medley entitled I Love You Jesus.

Magacha told Christian Public Square that the band is a mega praise concept where artists of different nationalities worship God under one banner.

The group’s membership is culled from different African countries including DRC, Zambia, Malawi, Nigeria and Kenya.

“Africa Praise is a new concept in local gospel music. After the years of experience I have acquired in the industry I decided to do something different,” said Magacha.

“We are charting a different route with a new sound which is proudly African. I nursed this dream from 2010 and shared it with my producers Mac Dee and Joseph Madziyire who were both supportive.

“The group is out to celebrate God African-style through the medium of native languages, local and regional. Some of the tracks we are working on are in Kalanga, Ndebele, Nambya and Shona and languages from beyond our borders.

“We are a cosmopolitan band. Although we are identifiable by a specific sound we are not limited in terms of genre.

“We want to streamline our different cultures into our common mandate to worship God. The group is barely two months old but we have already made headway by special grace,” Magacha said.

The Ridza Bosvo hitmaker said the group has mouth-watering projects in the basket including a tour of Australia, the United States and Canada from July to September after which they will record their inaugural live DVD at 7 Arts Theatre.

Rovambira is a theologically sound jam which warns points out that the church is supposed to be a cave to shelter the troubled but materialism in the church is now like a resident cobra waiting to bite new congregants and poison their hearts. It has a worked-up which fuses kanindo, sungura and rhumba, underscoring the group’s cosmopolitan influences.

“Kwekuturira, which also features Zhakata, retains the message of the original composition spiced up by Magacha’s add-ons, while the sound is laid-back, worship-mode.

All the tracks are being recorded live without digital revisions at Whereitsat Studios. The producer is former Small House Saga star Wonder Pinjisi.

Mercy Mutsvene’s young brother, Kudakwashe, is touted as one of the key finds of the project.  The youthful outfit features, among others, Solomon Sunguro on bass, Napthtali on drums and Tamiswa on the keyboards.

Magacha forestalled the prospect of competition with Zimpraise whose projects he has featured in from inception to the present. He said he is still part of Zimpraise and acknowledged the mega-choir’s CEO Madziyire’s contribution to his career.

He said the band is open to performing with different artists, especially rookies still finding their feet in the industry considering the challenges most of them face with regard to resources when it comes to holding their own shows.

“At the moment we want to push Kuda and Tinashe to be the next big acts.  The talent is there and guaranteed support they will last the distance,” Magacha said.

“Tinashe is already making noise as a dancehall chanter in UFIC and I credit Prophet Makandiwa and the leadership for availing him such a major platform,” he said.

He said the group has launched a clothesline and over 300 articles of their merchandise were sold during the first week.

Magacha, who played for CAPS United junior before reverting to music after an injury, has five albums “Shekinah Glory” (2004), Baba Ndinokutenda (2007), Tinaye – Faithful God  (2010), Mapostori (2012) and Back to Sender (2013) under his belt.

His first album was not played for two years till Power FM’s Bridget "Bubbles" Gavanga stumbled on it in the library in 2006. He has since risen to be one of the most sought-after psalmists in the country.

ZET MUNDHLURI'S LYRICAL THEOLOGY

SA-based online radio presenter and gospel musician Zet Mundhluri is set to drop his third album entitled “Zvakakwana Kana Zvasvika” (In the Fullness of Time).

The nine-track album is tentatively slated for release during the next quarter of this year. Zet has previously recorded “Murume Uyu” (2006) and “Ishe Areva” (2013).

“'Zvakakwana Kana Zvasvika’ is another highly inspiring flavour of favour which will be definitely better than my previous offerings. It feature hit tracks including ‘Seunorota’ and a Zulu jam ‘Jehovah Thelumoya.’  I will also rework a track from my first album,” said Zet.

Zet, who presents the Feel the Praise and Worship show on Zimonline radio said he is also working on video compilation also slated for release this year.

His last album, released in July last year also carried nine tracks including “Handei Kumba,” “Zviri Nani,”  and “Handidududze.”

The hit song “Ndine Zvandakaona” had an accompanying video shot in SA featuring an actors’ guild called Kingdom School of Arts.

Zet recently collaborated with US-based psalmist Comfort Manyame on a prayer-song entitled “Nyika yeZimbabwe.”

“Manyame is my mentor who has taught me a lot about the music industry. It was great working with him on my single ‘Nyika yeZimbabwe.’”

“Nyika yeZimbabwe” joins a sprawling inventory of nationalist Christian jams including Charles Charamba’s “Nyika Zimbabwe,” Henry Olonga’s “Our Zimbabwe,” Worship Addicts’ “A Prayer for Zimbabwe” and the late Culture T’s “Tendai.”

“When I realised ‘Ishe Areva’ towards the end of July last year choice of title was precisely contextual. God gave me a word that it was time for me to produce the album and spread the message.

“It was quite difficult for me but I remained a man of faith. After a long struggle, I made it by God's grace. I believe when God speaks there is providence to make it good.

“The album is being received more than I expected. In spite of the fact that I am away from home, the response here is overwhelming. The airplay is considerable and the important thing is that people are getting the good news through the music. So far we have run out of initial stock but my music is doing well on ITunes.

Zet acknowledged the contribution of his producer Daddyish, backing vocalist Florence Chatukuta and lead guitarist Trust Samende which he said has added value to his music.

The humble songster is currently pursuing pastoral studies in his SA base to enhance his theological acumen.

“Actually the musical journey has not been easy but there is value in it and it is worth fighting for no matter how hard it is. Faith is what makes me tick. I’m this simple guy who would rather walk with God in the dark than go alone in the light,” he said.

Zet I grew up in Gweru where he started singing as an infant before becoming the youngest praise and worship leader at the local AFM Revival Centre. He is also the praise and worship leader at his congregation.

“Definitely better things are coming. My dream is to see my music excelling, ministering to many lives and many lives being changed through the message. I hope it will preach the gospel message to all including me,” he said.