POPULARLY known as The Psalmist, Blessing Shumba is one of the most recognisable contemporary gospel voices in Zimbabwe and has also gained enormous respect among his legion of fans as an artist who is truly after the Word of God.
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Talent and the grace to minister are not enough for the success of a gospel musician said Shumba, who expressed his appreciation of the excellent work being done by his management team and believes they are God-sent.
“As musicians we need the right people to manage us. I do have an excellent team led by Onias Sanangura, they always find a way to make things right. It’s one thing to have talent and grace to minister and then being able to manage the talent always have the right people to help you in all the difficulties that might come by,” Shumba said.
The 38-year old musician is riding high with his latest album titled My Season and a DVD compilation titled Parables Volume 1.
Songs on the eight-track album include, Ndinotenda, Warangarirwa, Tariro Ichiripo, Usatya, Changa Chajaira, Ndinosimudza Muchinjikwa, Takunda and Kare.
The award-winning gospel artist rose to prominence in 2010 with his second album Ndimwari with the track Mufaro becoming one of his most notable hits. The album which made waves on local stations won him the Nama Album of theYear gong in 2011.
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“My album NdiMwari (2011), the song Chimwe Nechimwe off the album NdiJesu (2015) won both the Song of the Year and Gospel Song of the Year, awards” Shumba said, while thanking his fans.
“We thank you all for wishing us well and praying for us. It’s a big job that you are doing.”
This comes from a man who humbly says not only is he “a preacher of the Word” but is inspired mostly by inspiring others to listen to the gospel and to keep their faith.
Shumba who now has four albums under his belt — Ishe Wazvose, Anoita Minana, Ndimwari and Shongwe said it takes prayer and hard work to be recognised than one good hit song.
“One good hit song is not enough. Pray, be persistent. It’s not easy brace yourself, depend on God to use you as he might,” he said.
The overarching theme from his music is “all about hope in whatever you do, even if it seems virtually impossible to keep on hoping”.
He is also a businessman in the small to medium enterprises sector in Mutare where he runs hardware shops besides being a farmer.
“Most of the work is done with churches who will be doing non-income generating projects. It’s important to find other things to supplement your income. Remember Paul the apostle was a tent maker,” he said.
“I respect and love each and every minister of the Word. However, we have pacesetters of our time in Baba Manyeruke, Jordan Chataika, Brian Sibalo, Charles and Olivia Charamba, Mai Mujokoro, Bethan Ngolomi, Olinda Marowa, Agatha Murudzwa, E Anderson, Kudzi Nyakudya, Mathias Mhereand a lot more.”
Without saying much, he said his biggest testimonies were his family and being selected for the ambassador role by Ring Driving school.
Shumba is married to Pauline Chipakatira and the couple is blessed with two sets of twins, Levious and Levite (boys) as well as Elite and Eli.
Born in Buhera in 1979, in a family of 10 children, Shumba found his initial musical inspiration singing hyms at their Mugodhi Apostolic sect.
“I am the last born of the late Rangarirai Chivhenge and Jerica Shumba nee Chikandiwa. My father was a pastor all his life,” he said.
With little experience, Shumba later decided to test the waters by forming an apostolic choral group called Vakushi VeShoko in 2001.
The six-member group went on to release an album titled Tumai Mweya.
The group folded after some of the members relocated to South Africa.
However, Shumba did not give up and wrote his first song Kurwa Kwakanaka in 2008.
In 2011 he did a collaboration album with Mutare Remand Prison inmates and prison officers.
You may contact the columnist, Albert Masaka on Email: [email protected]
