LOCAL upcoming gospel artists should arise and shine and demonstrate the ability to adopt to advancements in information and communications technology to their advantage by uploading their music on internet sites such as iTunes Store, instead of being distracted by piracy, which they have little control of. This was an inspiring message from the 2012 ZBC Video of the Year winner, Blessing Manyangadze, popularly known in music circles as Flem B.
gospel music sermon with The Master
The wider audience reach which piracy brings actually draws more fans to live shows, said the artist, who has popularised his music, mainly through the use of social media platforms.
“Arise and shine. Don’t look at the negative side of piracy and other present-day challenges, because it’s already gone out of hand and is hard to stop. Rather, use piracy to your advantage, as an upcoming musician and record good music that will even be pirated to places you can’t reach,” he said.
“Upload your songs on iTunes too. If you do that you sell more and at your live shows everybody will be singing along with you.”
The internet site iTunes Store allows users to purchase and download items directly to portable Apple devices, such as the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and iPod Touch.
While he does not have a manager at the moment, saying Jesus is his manager for now and it’s working out quite great, he has a marketing team robustly covering his work and upcoming events on social media called Zionist and TG, “who are doing a great job”.
That there is so much talent in Zimbabwe among young gospel music artists, was apparent after hearing the accomplishments of the 28-year-old, whose flame has raised the bar for young gospel musicians.
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With a discography of three albums — Ndichamutambira, Handidzokere Kumba and Mandigora — Flem B promises fans another gem, titled Testimony, coming out soon.
What a testimony for the young musician: He has shared the stage with world-acclaimed gospel icons Israel Houghton and Kirk Franklin from the United States, and one of Africa’s great — Sinach from Nigeria.
Flem B said this when he visited our offices recently together with South African Afrojazz singer-cum-news presenter Makhadzi, who was so impressed by the young Zimbabwean’s live perfomances and decided to enlist his services as a producer of her debut gospel album titled Flourishing.
Manyangadze’s beat and electrifying dances, which appeal to all generations of fans, have also lightened private functions, particularly wedding ceremonies and parties in Zimbabwe with the hit song Handidzokere Kumba becoming part of the most “wedding programmes, a favourite of DJs, while others invite him to perform live at their functions.
“I think people need to see and hear the joy in worshipping at church — it’s not as boring as most people think it is… but above all, I give credit to the Creator for making people get captured and love my music for it’s all about Him not me…” he explained his career as a music minister.
The Christ Embassy Choir singer also advised young gospel musicians to prioritise investing in recording and use professional studios for people to accept their music from the word go and to be original and unique and not sing like someone else.
“If you record your first album in a compromised studio, people will not accept your music because quality wise, progression wise and arrangement wise, it will be substandard, hence no one will support it,” he said.
He cited Best Masinire, Minister Tait, Dj Sabz, Tendai Global, J Soldier, Calla and Talent from Gweru, among others, as some of the young artists who are working hard and coming up fast.
“All I can say to them and others is to remain prayerful and God will lift you up… never allow pride to crawl in. It will destroy you before you even start,” he said.
So how does he do all this: performing for thousands of fans at international gospel music platforms with captivating dances, singing mostly in Shona language?
“We need to remember that we are Christians first then artists later,” he said.
“As for the vernacular melody, I think music is the only language that speaks to anyone’s soul without trying. So, any good song will take you far and make everyone love it and love what you believe in and stand for.” He shared his most memorable career moments.
“With Reverend Chris Oyakhilome, it was very heavenly and above all, I couldn’t have ever imagined that in my life.
I always relive the moment and music wise, I have shared the stage with Sinach, Benjamin Dube from South Africa, Israel Houghton and Kirk Franklin from the United States,” he said.
“I have made it this far by simply following and obeying the Word of God and my pastor always tells me to do so.
“I take it as a gift God gave me that I can bless His people with. If I get blessed financially because of where I have been invited to sing well, that will be great. But above all, I love ministering and healing the broken-hearted and those not well and spreading the Word of God in my melodies.”
With a brightened-up face, he reveals that his wife, Sibongile Dapeta, is a pillar of strength in their calling and she always prays for his career and guides him in most songs — helping the sound to be better.
All this was possible after heeding his mother’s advice; “to sing gospel when I really was about to shoot into secular music and that time I was not yet born again”.
And he wrote his hit songs after being inspired in church “as my woman of God, Pastor Ruth Musarurwa would be sharing the word in service, Handidzokere Kumba, for instance was the fruit of the sermon”.
A follower of this column, Engineer Bobs Chiwengwa advised it was time to feature upcoming artistes. Judging from this interview and the calls I have been receiving from readers and other artists, fresh talent abounds.
