Mahachi basks in Tuku collaboration

Standard Style
Award-winning gospel musician Tatenda Mahachi (pictured right) says he is determined to shift the paradigm of gospel music by embracing musicians who sing other genres, including secular music.

By Abigail Matsikidze

Award-winning gospel musician Tatenda Mahachi (pictured right) says he is determined to shift the paradigm of gospel music by embracing musicians who sing other genres, including secular music.

He said such a collaboration had resulted in him releasing his latest single titled Ndisiye, which features music legend Oliver Mtukudzi. He said the move to come up with an Afro jazz gospel sound blended with his own gospel beat was a step in the right direction.

Mahachi said the single, which was released alongside a video in Harare two weeks ago, was taking gospel music to a new dimension while embracing a large fan base.

The blending of Mahachi’s distinctive voice and Mtukudzi’s unique sound created a fascinating tune, carrying a profound revelation.

“I have been working with Mtukudzi for a few months on the single and I have learnt a lot from him. He made me realise that if we put our efforts together despite singing different genres, we can come up with one great sound which can accommodate every listener,” Mahachi told The Standard Style on Wednesday.

Mahachi, who teamed up with the late South African S’fiso Ncwane to do a hit song Ndinoda Jesu/Ngiyamthanda Ujesu in 2015, said he was engaging another artist from south of the Limpopo River for another duet.

He said engaging foreign artists, particularly those from South Africa, was one way of putting Zimbabwean music on the global map and he insists that music requires a lot of working together among artists.

“I want to take the Shona language globally and my concern goes to the government to represent Zimbabwean musicians on the international arena. The music industry is big and artists have the power to unite nations through shows and collaborations with artists from other countries,” he said.

Mahachi is a full-fledged singer and song writer, who preaches messages drawn from real life experiences through his music, which is a blend of the traditional beat and jazz.

Apart from performing at a number of local gospel festivals, including the Mega Praise — a Zimbabwean “super group” comprising artists from various church denominations and musical backgrounds — Mahachi was the first Zimbabwean gospel artist to perform in South Africa alongside musicians from that country for a predominantly South African audience.

He has shared the stage with South Africans Ncwane, Rebecca Mhlope, Thina Zungu, Hlengiwe Mhlaba, Joyous Celebration, Dumi Mkhostad, Lundi Tyamara, Uche and Benjamin Dube.

His video titled Usacheme, which he released last year made history by becoming the first ever video from a Zimbabwean artist to be played on the world’s largest religious television station Trinity Broadcasting Network.

The video is currently enjoying airplay on other top stations like One gospel, SABC, Zambezi Magic and many more.

Mahachi said upcoming artists should come up with their own sounds so that they do not create competition with popular musicians who are already established in the industry.