Mhere tours region:
Gospel artiste, Mathias Mhere is taking his music on the regional platform amid growing interests from gospel lovers in neighbouring countries in the last few years.
THE diminutive musician, who recently returned from Mozambique where he held several shows revealed that his music has been well received in neighbouring countries, a development that is spurring him to stage live shows.
“When I initially held a live show in Mozambique two years ago, the response was lukewarm. We performed before less than 200 people. It was a flop and naturally I was disappointed.
“It was late last year when we started invitations to hold live shows in Mozambique. Still smarting from the monumental flop we reluctantly accepted the invitation, however we were pleasantly surprised by the huge turnout at our shows, a few weeks ago,” he said.
Buoyed by the positive response, Mhere has since organised several other regional tours that will take him to South Africa, Malawi, Namibia and Mozambique within the next six months.
“We believe we have a strong regional fan base and we would want to engage with it through holding regular shows. Our experience in Mozambique revealed that we need to regularly connect with our fans beyond the borders to widen our fan base.
“The beauty about music is that it transcends beyond cultural, language and other physical barriers,” said Mhere.
While the South African tour will be held on August 8, negotiations for the shows in Malawi and Namibia are ongoing and are expected around October.
Since he launched his music career in Gweru in 2005, the Gutu-born Mhere has toured countries such as South Africa, Mozambique, United States and United Kingdom among others.
Mhere shot to fame with his second album Anoita Minana which was recorded at Lyton Ngolomi Studios.
The song Favour found on the album won the hearts of gospel and secular music fans
Mhere is currently riding high with his latest album, “Panogara Nyasha” which he collaborated with several artists, among them Oliver Mtukudzi, Kudzi Nyakudya, Bethany Pasinawako and Olinda Marowa.
Coming just a year after the release of his sixth album, “Old Testament”, a social commentary which proved to be popular with gospel fans, “Panogara Nyasha” is a positive shift from most of his previous works which were becoming mundane with his use of the same rhythm.