Online Reporter
Tafadzwa Zimoyo
Zimpapers Entertainment Hub Editor
JANUARY is traditionally a quiet month in the music industry.
After the frenzy of December, packed with cross-over services, festive performances and year-end releases, most artistes rest.
Some disappear on vacation to recover, while others retreat into studios to plan their next moves.
Albums are rarely dropped in January; it is widely considered a month for reflection, not risk.
Yet it was precisely in this season of stillness that Everton Mlalazi chose to speak.
On January 2, while many of his peers were resting or resetting, the multi-award-winning gospel artiste released, ‘In The Presence Vol. 3: ‘Great God’, a full-length worship album that has since disrupted charts, dominated gospel playlists and reframed conversations around timing, intention and spiritual obedience in African gospel music.
The move was not accidental.
It was deliberate, confident and deeply symbolic, an artiste offering worship at the very beginning of the year rather than waiting for “safer” industry windows.
For Mlalazi, January was not a pause.
It was the platform.
A journey rooted in worship
Mlalazi’s musical journey is inseparable from the church.
Born in Zimbabwe and shaped by congregational singing, he grew up immersed in gospel harmonies long before awards, chart positions or continental recognition became part of his story.
His early years in ministry laid a foundation built on vocal discipline, theological sensitivity and a deep respect for worship as service rather than performance.
That grounding became evident when he launched The Vine Music Ministry in 2014, a collective that helped refine his leadership, arranging skills and understanding of worship dynamics.
By the time he stepped into a solo career, Mlalazi was already thinking beyond songs — he was thinking in movements.
His breakthrough came during the COVID-19 period with In The Presence Vol. 1, a project that resonated deeply at a time when physical church spaces were closed and worship had moved into homes.
Songs like Uyingcwele and Ekhaya became devotional anchors, establishing Mlalazi as a worship leader whose music could minister across distance and isolation.
That momentum continued with In The Presence Vol. 2: God’s Grace, which expanded his sonic palette by blending African rhythms, contemporary worship structures and multilanguage expression.
The album marked a noticeable evolution, richer arrangements, bolder collaborations and a more confident production identity.
Musical maturity
While Mlalazi has dominated gospel awards across Africa, Great God makes it clear that accolades are no longer the defining measure of his work.
Instead, the album reflects an artist focused on refinement, depth and longevity.
“This project reflects growth,” Mlalazi says. “It reflects seasons of waiting, learning and listening to God. I wasn’t in a rush to impress anyone — I wanted to serve.”
That maturity is evident throughout the 14-track offering.
Rather than chasing radio-friendly formulas, Great God allows songs to breathe. Tempos are intentional, harmonies layered with care and instrumentation used to support rather than overshadow the message.
Songs that carry weight and intention
The album opens sacred ground immediately.
“Muri Mutsvene” featuring Oncemore Six stands as a reverent declaration of God’s holiness, blending choral textures with contemporary worship sensibilities.
It sets the spiritual tone for the project — contemplative, unforced and deeply African in its expression.
The title track “Great God”, featuring Nigerian gospel star Moses Bliss, introduces a celebratory energy, proclaiming God’s majesty while bridging Southern and West African worship cultures.
The collaboration feels organic rather than strategic, reinforcing the album’s pan-African identity.
Songs like “Angeke Kulunge” — released as the lead single — reassure listeners of God’s faithfulness, while “Zuva Rangu” featuring Takesure Zamar positions God as light and guide in uncertain times.
“Baba Ndiri Mwana Wenyu”, recorded with Harare MUMC Choir Vabvuwi, returns listeners to the intimacy of communal worship, affirming identity and belonging.
Across the album, tracks such as “Munondida Ndakadaro,” “Ekhaya,” “Ndinoda Kuona,” “Igazi Lemvana,” and “Ndichamira” weave themes of unconditional love, spiritual longing, victory and steadfast faith into a cohesive worship narrative.
“I wanted every song to be a prayer,” Mlalazi explains. “Whether you are alone or in a congregation, this album should help you encounter God.”
Chart impact in an unlikely season
Releasing an album in early January is often viewed as commercially risky.
Yet within 20 days of its release, Great God had already begun dominating gospel charts and playlists across the region.
Multiple tracks quickly gained traction on radio, streaming platforms and church worship rotations — an uncommon achievement for a project released during the industry’s quietest month.
The success speaks not only to Mlalazi’s growing fan base, but to the album’s spiritual resonance.
Listeners have responded to its sincerity, its musical excellence and its ability to meet them at the start of the year with hope, reverence and clarity.
An artist still becoming
Mlalazi’s story is no longer just about emergence, it is about stewardship.
With a doctorate in Music and Performing Arts, years of ministry experience and collaborations with international gospel icons behind him, he stands at a point where influence meets responsibility.
In The Presence Vol. 3: Great God is evidence of an artist still becoming — one who understands that growth is not always louder, faster or trendier, but often deeper.
By choosing January, by choosing worship over convenience and by choosing substance over spectacle, Mlalazi has once again reminded African gospel music of its core purpose.
Tinaye Agere