City Thomas gets recognition in Africa

Arts Reporter

GOSPEL musician City Thomas is on cloud nine after she came second at the Africa Gospel Music Forum (AGMF) monthly awards.
AGMF is an online networking forum for gospel artistes in Africa.

It honours creative and hard-working gospel musicians across the continent through online voting.

Zimbabwean participant, City, who is married to Frontline Kids co-founder Emmanuel Thomas, was ecstatic after being voted second for August.

Claudine Loboto from Côte d’Ivoire was in pole position, followed by City.

Liberians Phebe Amanda and Bensson Themeh came third and fourth respectively.

In an interview with The Herald Arts after getting the award, City’s camp was over the moon.

“We are super excited to come out second in the Africa Gospel Music Forum grand awards competition after competing with Cameroon, Liberia, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Cote Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Malawi, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Congo Republic, among other countries,” she said.

“It is a great achievement for our nation since our music is now being listened to across Africa, our flag is being lifted high.”

City, who works closely with her husband, explained how she got regional attention.

“It is by the grace of God because after releàsing the song ‘Dzokera’, I went for a radio interview at National FM with Dj Robson Umari,” she said.

“As I was being interviewed at National FM, Radio Mozambique was listening to the interview and they requested for my music and I gave them.

“The song became popular on Mozambique radio stations and they took my song to the Africa Gospel Music Forum charts.”

City, who is now eyeing international stardom after a huge breakthrough in Africa, acknowledged veteran Zimbabwean instrumentalists for helping her in the studio.

“I strongly believe that a good product can easily market itself and in this case, I had an added advantage because I worked with Zimbabwean professional musicians on this project,” she said.

“I worked with Spencer Khululani (the late Tongai Moyo’s bass player) and Pastor Emmanuel Thomas who played the lead and rhythm guitars.

“Jonathan Mugazi played the keyboard while Collin Tom, the drums teacher at Zimbabwe Music Crossroads, gave a hand alongside Pastor Anthony Gasani of Gart Studio, who produced the music.”