Shumba working on new album

Tawanda Marwizi Arts Correspondent
Gospel musician Blessing Shumba is working on a new album that will be released at the end of next month.

The album comes barely a year after the musician released his chart-topping album “Holy Psalms Volume 1 Ndijesu”.

Critics described the offering as one of the best albums released last year.

The Mutare-based musician said he was not recording to make money but to preach the word of God.

“We are working on a new album and it will be released by end of next month. Our wish is to have as many albums as we can so that we preach the word of God,” he said.

“The album will be titled ‘Holy Psalms Volume 2’ and it will have six tracks only,” he said. He could not reveal the producer he has engaged on the forthcoming album.

“I think it is not necessary to reveal the name of the producer. Let’s just concentrate on the music,” he said.

Pressed if it was a move to avoid his so called “copycat” Mathias Mhere, Shumba said identifying the producer would not change anything. “I don’t know if Mathias Mhere is a copycat but I know him as a minister of the word. People should forget about comparing us but take the message from the music,” he said. He said there was no bad blood between him and Mhere and on July 18 they will be staging a joint show Pagomba Cafe, Beitbridge.

Dubbed “Beitbridge Gospel Fiesta”, the show is likely to attract music lovers as it is their first public show together.

“We are brothers in the ministry and those who are in Beitbridge will give a testimony. It will be a great show,” he said. Shumba, who has kept ba low profile since the release of his album last year, said he was devoting more to church functions than public shows.

“It’s not that I am into hibernation as some would put it, but we are concentrating on church functions. We do public shows here and there for our fans,” he said.

Shumba has been touted as one of the best gospel musicians to emerge from this country in recent years.

He has five offerings to date – “Ishe Wazvose”, “NdiMwari”, “Shongwe” and “Ndijesu”.