The Unveiled: Award-winning group formed in two days

The Unveiled at the Old Mutual Amazing Voices competition in South Africa in 2023

THE Unveiled, a musical group formed in 2023 with the goal of competing in the Old Mutual Amazing Voices competition, has defied expectations, shattered boundaries and soared to new heights.

Rising from humble beginnings, the group, which made it to the Amazing Voices pan-African singing reality competition in 2023, where unsigned groups battled it out, reached the finale after assembling members just two days before the competition. Since then, the group has not looked back, captivating music lovers with their heartfelt cover songs and, ultimately, their debut album, The Unveiled: Next Level, released in October last year.

They have steadily gained prominence in the gospel music scene, earning recognition for their originality and authenticity.

Despite being just three years old, The Unveiled recently made history by winning the Outstanding Music Group award at the 2024 National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) — a significant milestone in their journey.

Ashley Mapfumo, the group’s spokesperson, described the Nama win as a dream come true.

“It feels amazing to be recognised, especially among other artistes who have worked just as hard. We’re grateful to God for this win. Our decision to transition from cover songs to original music played a big role in this achievement.

We wanted to tell the Zimbabwean and African story in our own words,” he said.

Mapfumo explained that the award serves as motivation to keep pushing forward.

“This win is a reminder to never relax. It also adds credibility to our work and earns us more respect within the industry. To those aspiring for a Nama, we say – be authentic, keep pushing and don’t just release music without actively promoting it. Utilise social media to create impact,” Mapfumo advised.

The Unveiled, which has performed in the UK, is now gearing up for a national and international tour, spreading their uplifting sound to audiences worldwide.

“We’ll be touring Europe this March and April and in May, we’ll kick-start the #Tungamira African Cities Tour, with Bulawayo as our first stop,” Mapfumo revealed.

Their song Ndikhokele, released two years ago and a hit in its own right, is being remixed.

“We also have the Ndikhokhele remix coming up soon, along with about three collaborations with artistes from Zimbabwe and beyond.” — @mthabisi_mthire