Mai Patai basks in glory

Standard Style
American comedian, actor and producer Kevin Hart once said: “Everybody wants to be famous, but nobody wants to do the work. I live by that. You grind hard so you can play hard. At the end of the day, you put all the work in, and eventually it’ll pay off. It could be in a year, it could be in 30 years. Eventually, your hard work will pay off.”

American comedian, actor and producer Kevin Hart once said: “Everybody wants to be famous, but nobody wants to do the work. I live by that. You grind hard so you can play hard. At the end of the day, you put all the work in, and eventually it’ll pay off. It could be in a year, it could be in 30 years. Eventually, your hard work will pay off.”

Mai Patai

Hart’s assertion rings true for Gweru gospel music diva Respina Patai, aka Mai Patai, who only needed less than a year to reconnect with her legions of followers following the release of her album Punish the Devil, after more than a decade in hibernation.

On New Year’s Eve, she proved her critics wrong after she broke the record by becoming the first woman to storm into the top three of the Radio Zimbabwe Coca-Cola Top 50. Songs from the album Punish the Devil — Anokomborera and Ndinodaira — came third and ninth respectively in the annual competition that was dominated by gospel musicians.

“First of all, l want to thank God for such an achievement. God has been good to me and yes it is true when God has a purpose for you, He will make sure that purpose is fulfilled come what may,” Mai Patai told The Standard Style.

“I am very happy and l want to pay tribute to my supportive fans who made It possible for me to make such an achievement. This year l promise my fans more music. Their happiness always comes first.”

Mai Patai, who alongside her husband Ephraim hogged the gospel music limelight with the song Mazambara more than a decade ago, said fans should expect a new project this year.

“I am in the studio working on a new album that should be out in April. I am back for good and like I said, I thrive to give my fans the best,” she said.

The album Punish the Devil carries tracks such as Ndinodavira, Moyo Munyoro, Usatye, Shoko Rinesimba, Anokomborera, Dai Asiri Jesu, Ruvengo and Denga Rashe, but it is Ndinodaira and Anokomborera that have helped the Gweru gospel singer regain her lost mojo.

Backed by the group Voice of Prophecy, Mai and Baba Patai believe the forthcoming album would be a better product than her previous productions.

She and her husband have seven albums, namely Shoko Rinesimba, Usatye, Moyo Munyoro, Mwari Anokomborera, Ndinodavira, Dai Asiri Jesu and Punish the Devil.