Chronicle Editor
Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Reporter
AFRO-soul crooner MJ Sings is set to stage his first solo performance this year, on Saturday alongside his band named Blvck Sol Band.
The much-anticipated gig is set to take place at the Bulawayo Theatre.
At the show dubbed “The Prince of Soul Live”, MJ Sings (born Mncedisi Jeremiah Ncube) will give his fans the much-needed feel of the Live Acoustic Sessions that he hosted virtually in 2019 and 2020.
This year, the former Bulawayo’s Got Talent second runner-up and Dreamstar Zimbabwe finalist, has performed at a couple of shows alongside artistes like Gemma Griffiths and DJ Zandimaz, with Saturday’s event set to mark more solo events for him.
Speaking to Chronicle Showbiz, MJ Sings said the upcoming event is a fulfilment of the request from his fans.
“The event has been a long time coming ever since the virtual live performance I staged at Banff Lodge. People had been enquiring about it for months as they wanted to experience it live so I finally decided to put it together. It was initially scheduled for June, but we had to postpone it to July because we wanted to focus on Msiz’kay’s album launch,” said MJ Sings.
He said, going forward, the solo event will be added to his annual calendar, a move he hopes will help grow his fan base and market.
“The event is basically a birth of the shows I want to host annually for those who love live music. I noticed that there’s power in finding your marketniche market so for months, I’ve been strategising and doing a lot of observing. That’s why we haven’t made much noise about the show on social media as we now have direct access to the audiences.”
MJ sings said the event production is in partnership with sound gurus, Dab Three Events whom he has been working with for the past six years.
Going forward, the artiste said the plan is to team up with service providers to host his own shows without roping in music promoters.
“The main goal is to challenge ourselves as artistes and service providers to start hosting more of our own events and avoid waiting for promoters to book us. My biggest challenge with promoters is how most of them always undervalue the artists.
“This had led to artistes delivering sub-standard performances, compromising our sets. This show will thus be an exhibition of who MJ Sings is as a performer and not only a recording artiste. My performance will, therefore, be supported by a live band,” said MJ Sings.
The musician whose writing skills and vocal prowess make world-class material has shared the stage with a number of local and international artistes including Haja (Madagascar), Berita, Tresor Raziki (DRC), Nakhane Toure, Jah Prayzah, Tariro NeGitare, Oliver Mtukudzi, Black Umfolosi and Bands of Balleigh. — @mthabisi_mthire
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