Joyous join hands to heal our land
Gospel choir’s album comes at right time
Entertainment Editor
For their bumper 21st offering, Joyous Celebration has stepped it up.
The much-loved gospel super ensemble performed and recorded at the Potter’s House in Dallas, US, the church of gospel icon Bishop T.D. Jakes.
This is the first time Joyous has recorded outside of SA borders and the music in the three CD and two DVD combo raises the roof as it inspires.
With the tagline Heal Our Land so apt given the dramatic developments in SA in the past two weeks, the album couldn’t have come at a better time.
Jabu Hlongwane, one of the founders of Joyous, says it is time South Africans turned to the Lord. As it was recorded in front of a US audience, the messages also apply to Americans.
“African-Americans are so much like us. Our spirituality was formed from the furnaces of oppression.”
Hlongwane uses the first single Heal Our Land as an example, inspired by the Books of Chronicles which states: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
The song is led by Brenda Ellis, the vocalist from Potter’s House. Hlongwane says as spiritual beings having a physical experience, humans should make their decisions from the spiritual realm.
As is tradition with Joyous, they have unearthed new gems that will debut during the Joyous Heal Our Land Tour which starts next Friday at Carnival City in Brakpan, east of Johannesburg. New voices are Esethu Mngxuma from Cape Town; Nozipho Phiri from Empangeni in KZN; and Londiwe Masondo from Durban.
Looking back over the years with pride, Hlongwane says the band has become more than just a music entity and has expanded to work in charity and helping out orphanages.
And that’s not all, the members of the group even fulfil their other talents and calling besides singing.
For instance, tenor Given Mabena designs the onstage outfits, some women in the band interested in make-up, are roped in to work on the faces, those keen on administration help out in the office and catering as well.
“We aim to empower young people in the group. There are many things we do to go beyond music and empower the musicians,” Hlongwane shares.
Joyous Heal Our Land Tour is at Carnival City on April 1417. Tickets at Ticketpro range from R160 to R400.