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Bongani Ndlovu Showbiz Correspondent
REFRESHING, outstanding and spiritually uplifting are words that describe gospel artiste, Abigail Mwembe’s debut live DVD and CD recording of her third album Basking in his Glory at Bulawayo Theatre on Saturday night.
Performing in front of a near capacity audience, Mwembe showed that years performing on stage had helped her hone her musical skills.
The audience included local businessman Sonny Phiri, who mentored her, and his wife, former Miss Zimbabwe Lorraine Maphala.
Local designer Braiton Takundwa was the director of ceremonies and Apostle Bhekimpilo Ndlovu of Kingdom Life International Church where Mwembe is a member blessed the live recording with a prayer.
Although the live recording by ZBC started 30 minutes late, Mwembe made up for the delay and one wonders why she is not in the same league or even higher than the likes of other female gospel musicians Mai Charamba, Fungisai Zvakavapano and Bethany Pasinawako.
The live recording was divided into two parts, praise and worship. Backed by Bayandwa Baleza, a seven member group, Mwembe took to the stage wearing an elegant ethnic African princess dress that was designed by Sikhanyisiwe Dube amid wild cheers. Songs that she sang include Waba fwifwi, Jesu Uyetla, Masimdumiseni Ujehova, and on the worship side she sang Mutsvene, Calvary, and finished off with Tata Leza.
Those in the crowd would jump up and down and dance along during the praise section where there were fast paced songs. During the worship session, Mwembe had changed into an olive green dress; she led the audience in prayer, with some raising their hands and others kneeling.
Before she performed her last song she told the story about writing the song, three days before her father died.
“God showed me that he’s the Father to the fatherless as he has filled my heart with love. Tata Leza means God our Father and when my father died I was filled with God’s love,” she said.
Mwembe said her father called her days before he died and told her that she would find a good man to marry her and one day she would perform in front of a large audience.
“My father saw me suffering, singing and failing here and there. He then called me to speak to him and he said to me that he prayed to God that I’ll find a man to marry me and my gospel career will be successful. Now I’m seeing the fruits of this, nine years on,” she said, while crying.
In an interview backstage after her performance Mwembe said the DVD and CD was for a cross section of Zimbabweans.
“By the grace of God I hope the album appeals to all Zimbabweans as I sang in three official languages, that is Shona, Ndebele and Tonga. I sang in Tonga because that’s my roots and I’m proud of it,” she said.
Mwembe said when the DVD and CD for the live recording is ready she would use it to set up Tonga women in gospel.
“I want to inspire Tonga women to take up gospel. This is because there’s a lot of talent and I hope that this project will help me to inspire them and work with them on another project I call Tonga Women in Gospel,” she said.
Mwembe said she was overjoyed that her mother came all the way from Hwange to watch her perform.
She said the self-funded project cost her $6,500 and was worth the years of sacrifice.
“I’d like to thank all the people who helped me with funds, their time and resources. I’ve been starving myself and sometimes my mother I’d not send her groceries. I thank God for helping me to pull all the resources together to get this project off the ground,” said Mwembe.
Before the live recording two groups, All for worship and Hosanna took to the stage and warmed up the audience.
The 31-year-old former Regina Mundi Girls High student has two albums Makabongwe, 2001 and Tataleza, 2005 which did not do well on the market.
Online Reporter