Precious K bounces back

Standard Style
Popular gospel musician Precious Kahwema-Kabanda, who is affectionately known as Precious K, has dropped her third project, a 14-track album titled Zvivimbiso Zvenyu after a three-year sabbatical. The musician, who is also the vice-chairperson of the Zimbabwe Female Gospel Artistes Association (ZFGAA), said she was working tirelessly for the welfare of female musicians in the […]

Popular gospel musician Precious Kahwema-Kabanda, who is affectionately known as Precious K, has dropped her third project, a 14-track album titled Zvivimbiso Zvenyu after a three-year sabbatical.

The musician, who is also the vice-chairperson of the Zimbabwe Female Gospel Artistes Association (ZFGAA), said she was working tirelessly for the welfare of female musicians in the country.

Standard Style reporter Jairos Saunyama (JS) caught up with Kahwema-Kabanda (PK), who opened up on her music career and ZFGAA, among other issues. Below are excerpts from the interview.

JS: Who is Precious Kahwema?

PK: I was born Precious Kahwema and married to Gabriel Kabanda. This is the reason for being called Precious K (Kahwema/Kabanda). Started singing for the Lord at Sunday school through to high school where I would be requested to sing during assemblies with a couple of friends. Joined the praise-and-worship choir of my local church after school and never looked back. I joined ZBC in 1998 up to 2012 as a part-time presenter. One of the programmes I presented was Psalmody Gospel Show with Remington Mbeya. This show was later renamed Prime Gospel Show. I am a holder of numerous certificates and two degrees, one of which is a Master of Business Administration (MBA). I am working on my PhD in Business Administration with a university in Malaysia.

JS: Can you tell us more of your music career?

PK: I have recorded before as a backing vocalist for the likes of Pastor Haisa, Daniel Taderera, the late pastor Tamuka Chinouriri, the late pastor Pfumo Kahwema. We would rehearse in the garage of Pastor Musakwa’s house in Waterfalls then. That is when I met Clive Mono Mukundu who helped me record my first solo album titled Tofara in 2013 and my second album titled Ndoraramiswa Nenyasha in 2017. My debut album had 11 tracks with the second one carrying 13 tracks.

JS: You have released your latest album, what is the secret behind recording so many songs?

PK: This 2020 release is my new 14-track album called Zvivimbiso Zvenyu. The album is just picking out God’s promises and how powerful God’s Word is when we choose to live it. This album features my mother, Senior Pastor Pheobe Kahwema, on three songs. I also did a track with my daughter Angie Shamie titled Hamutikanganwe. I always record a lot of songs on my albums. I can say it has been long without being in the studio, I was writing songs all this while, so the songs were piling and piling over the years. I give glory to God for His Grace to do this massive hot project. It’s by His Grace. JS: What is your role in ZFGAA?

PK: I am the vice-chairlady of ZFGAA, founded by Mharidzo Hetisani Mukura two years ago. ZFGAA has a wide membership, comprising of female gospel artistes from Zimbabwe, across the region and abroad. It is mandated to help and uplift female gospel artistes all over the globe, alleviating challenges faced by female gospel artistes in the music industry as well as assisting upcoming female gospel artistes to stay focused on their calling and gospel music ministry.

JS:What programmes have you done so far to uplift female gospel musicians?

PK: We had interactions with female prisoners on Christmas day last year, giving an opportunity to gospel artistes to minister hope of Christ to those incarcerated and also boosting their own ministerial calling as ambassadors for Christ. We also had a family gospel show in Harare Gardens last year again, giving an opportunity to female gospel artistes to stage a show, a thing which is very difficult as an individual as most artistes are not yet fully capacitated for such events. We also did a training on social media presence and marketing. In the same year 2019, we had an all-night prayer to sharpen and strengthen one another and a fellowship braai at Cleveland Dam, to inspire and also get to know each other and the challenges we are facing in the industry, just to mention a few.

JS: What are the challenges facing female gospel musicians in the country?

PK: The basic problems are financial challenges to record and market their music, balancing between work, family, church and music ministry which always poses a great challenge, lack of support from spouses who feel intimidated by the wife receiving the limelight, producers size up female artistes, penetration into national airwaves, just to mention a few.

JS: How big is your membership?

PK: ZFGAA has over 53 members so far.

JS: Do you miss Pastor Haisa? How was your working relationship like?

PK: I worked well with Pastor Haisa and all the other gospel artistes who I supported with backing vocals. It was a necessary segment of grooming in my musical career which equipped me to be able to handle my own ministry. There is a time to back others and yet again a time to lead. All these things work together for good and by God’s Grace.

JS:Did you record any videos?

PK: Yes, I have 10 video songs and all are on YouTube.