Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
Musician Braveman “Baba Harare” Chizvino says he is frustrated by church leaders who exploit gospel artistes by failing to compensate them for their performances.
The 36-year-old, who made a sensational return to Jiti earlier this week, urged upcoming musicians to reconsider their reliance on church performances.
The singer, who had changed his stage name to King David, shared his frustration through a Facebook post which has divided opinion.
“This might sound controversial, but it comes from my heart and from my own experience. For the past year, I’ve been on a hiatus from secular shows and performing exclusively at gospel events. As a Christian, as someone who is part of this community, I feel I have every right to speak on this.
“I’ve been blessed to experience both worlds — the secular stage and the gospel stage. From a ministerial perspective, gospel concerts are powerful. They spread the word, they win souls and they glorify God. But from a business perspective, it’s a different story, and I would not advise any upcoming artiste to rely exclusively on gospel shows,” shared Baba Harare.
“Here’s why: too many times I’ve been booked to minister at church events and conferences, only to struggle afterwards to recover even my basic expenses. Often, people hide under the idea that because you’re ministering for the Kingdom, payment shouldn’t matter.”
He, however, made it clear that he had a stance to defend.
“But let’s be honest: I am not only a Christian; I am also a human being and an artiste. This is my work, my livelihood and I need to survive beyond the stage.
“In the secular industry, I’ve never had an issue with payment. In the gospel industry, it happens far too often,” he stressed.
He firmly believes that the genre can only grow when church leaders value gospel musicians for their creativity.
“If we really want the gospel genre to grow, travel and stand strong, we need to treat gospel artistes with dignity and fairness. This is not just ‘singing’; it is ministry, but it is also a business.”
He also cited an incident involving a local church where he performed for peanuts and ended up being called rude for asking for his payment.
“Let me give you a recent example. On Friday, I went to minister at a church. I didn’t charge them a performance fee; all I asked for was a token of US$200 to cover my fuel and expenses. Instead of being met with understanding, I was met with rudeness.
“Suddenly, I was no longer a ‘brother in Christ’ but was mocked and called a ‘comrade’.
“This is not Kingdom behaviour. This is not how we build each other up. And it’s one of the reasons the gospel industry struggles to move forward — lack of respect, lack of accountability, and non-payment of artistes.
“I’m not posting this to attack anyone but to spark a real conversation. We don’t talk about this enough. If you’re a promoter, a church, or an organiser, please do better. Honour your word. Respect the artiste. Support the ministry in every sense,” he added.
Following his post, his supporters leapt to his defence, accusing some church leaders of ill-treating gospel musicians.
Fellow musician Trymore Bande stood by Baba Harare, urging churches to value gospel musicians.
“If you invite me to sing at your church and you’re aware I’m a gospel artiste, and I’ve taken the time to prepare and come to your venue to minister, please give me what we agreed on so I can take care of my errands and provide for my kids.
“I’m not just singing for the crowd; I’m ministering to them, and my time and talent are valuable. Getting paid for my singing doesn’t mean I don’t love God — I love my God, but I also need to sustain my livelihood,” Bande stated.
United Kingdom-based gospel musician and preacher, Prophetess Phammy Macheka, commented:
“You did well to speak out. Hudzvanyiriri munhu achifambisa side rake. The church sometimes behaves as if love is long gone, showing disrespect. The problem starts with the perception that someone’s gift is of no value.”
Comedienne Tarisai “Madam Boss” Chikocho, who started off as a praise and worship singer, shared that she had a similar experience as Baba Harare.
“I suffered the same on my end. It’s like, how can someone treat you poorly? Therefore, I will continue with my work, period; I will pray in my own space,” commented Madam Boss.
Socialite and Baba Harare’s top fan, Chembere Good, pointed out that hypocrites can be found in the church.
“Maiti Wolves in Sheep’s clothing yaireverwa vemunyika here? Kwairehwa ikoko kumachurch kwenyu kuno; what you see is what you get,” she stressed.
Another fan of Baba Harare, Prophet Praise Govera, sympathised with him.
“I understand this deeply, and I share the same concern. From both a business and ministry perspective, gospel music is in a very difficult space.
“As someone who has done music since childhood, exclusively in the gospel sphere, I can honestly say that many Christians, especially leaders, expect gospel artistes to minister for free, while they themselves would never work for free. That double standard has hurt the growth of the gospel industry.”
Baba Harare, who worked with Jah Prayzah for eight years before going solo in 2017, has established himself as a Jiti musician.
Last year, he quit the genre to pursue gospel music, but he has since made a U-turn to Jiti.
