Gospel acapella group in live DVD recording
proMiNeNt Seventh Day Adventist acapella music group Firm Faith Zimbabwe is celebrating 16 years in the music industry through a live DVD recording at a red carpet event in harare next week. The group will also launch a 15-track album Three Angels Message, Shoko Rengirozi Nhatu.
group music director Marshall Matsilele said he was happy that Zimbabweans embraced their genre.
“We used to sing during church services, but now we are everywhere. This is a clear indication that we have come of age,” Matsilele said.
Mastilele said the growing fan base has compelled them to record a live DVD to add a visual touch to their music.
“This year is our 16th year in this ministry, but this is our first live DVD. Wherever we go people have been asking for a DVD and finally we have decided to record one,” he said. “it has not been easy as we are self-sponsored financially. This has drained us, but our desire for acapella music has kept us going and we promise our fans and supporters that this project is going to be top-notch.”
on their new 15-track album, Matsilele said each song on the album represents each year the group has been in the music ministry.
“This year, as Firm Faith we are celebrating 15 years in music. From humble beginnings as young people who had finished school we decided to come together and form a musical group with the sole purpose of singing during church services, we never dreamt of recording even a single track,” he said. “i remember at one-point people used to laugh at us as we could not sing properly, our singing was mainly punctuated with discord. however, we never looked back.
“We kept on fighting, praying and practising hard and today here we are — several albums, videos and now we are at the verge of recording a live DVD,” Matsilele, who is a human resources personnel and an entrepreneur, said.
“i am not a quitter; it’s inherent in me, i fight for what i want. As a group, we used the same spirit in building Firm Faith. We cannot say we have seen it all but we are happy with what we have achieved. We have raised the country’s flag. We are happy that our music is impacting so many lives. We have managed to live up to our aim which is to bring souls to Jesus Christ.”
Matsilele said the May 7 event will be the group’s first live DVD recording and will be held at the Seventh Day Adventist harare city centre church.
“We promise our fans that more DVD recordings are coming. We recorded some videos some few years ago, but this is our very first live DVD recording. This will be a black tie event.”
Matsilele said they collaborated with some big names in Zimbabwean gospel music, including Don gumbo, son of the late ilanga band frontman Don gombo, former Zimpraise songbird Sharon Manyonganise Cherai, everton Mlalazi and paniel tambama.
Some of the songs on the 15-track album include Fill My Cup Lord, Ten Thousand Angels, Inzwa Maungira and Mweya Mutsvene, among others. Firm Faith rose to prominence when they won harare got talent, a talent search show in 2012.