The ever changing history of Zimbabwean Gospel music
Filed under: Entertainment, Religion, Spirituality for such a time
All through its ever changing and transforming history, Gospel music is believed to have been directly derived from African Americans, who claim Gospel music as their own. It is believed to have sprung from the early African-American church and its origins attributed to the social changes that were taking place in the country at that time. Many blacks from the south were starting to other areas of the US and bringing with them their form of Gospel music, which was a form of expression for them.
From its origins, Gospel music was always met with challenges and today it is no different. Many older members of mainly mainline traditional churches think that the Gospel music of today is too wordly for comfort, whereas the younger members of the church think that older members of the church just don’t understand. But no matter what, it seems evident that the modern day Gospel music experience in Zimbabwe is here to stay.
Based on its early roots and its journey through several years, to finding a renewed popularity, the younger audiences appreciate the fact that Gospel music now has more “bounce and groove” because they are moved by urban contemporary Gospel music sounds.
Once narrowly defined as religious, Gospel music has transcended to become a music genre that is profound in music and popular culture. With the emergence of many local Gospel music recording companies, it has leaped over its traditional religious walls and is now more than just church music.
The many Gospel musicians who have come onto the musical scene in recent years attest to Gospel music’s growing popularity in Zimbabwe. Gospel musicians are no longer traditionally from the confines of the church and they are now introducing gospel styles independently in their own favourite genre.
In Zimbabwe Gospel music remained very unchanged during the 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s and during this period of time many gospel choirs, ensembles and quartets were established and they traveled throughout the country conducting performances of mostly sacred spiritual songs and hymns. During this time this helped to create a demand for Gospel music as Gospel choirs, ensembles and quartets had mass public appeal. The members of these groups were usually attired in immaculate uniforms and they presented a holy image and their Gospel music sounded sweet and literally moved its listeners as they swayed gently with the choir or tapped along with the quartets or simply raised hands to the rhythm of the soul-stirring music. The most popular choir in the ’80s was the now defunct Holy Spirits Choir, from South Africa, whose Gospel music was much loved by the Zimbabweans.
But then Gospel music started to change in Zimbabwe in the early 90’sand became more contemporary, a style that was very much unwelcome in traditional mainline churches, whose form of worship traditionally consisted of silent congregations and piano or organ music and they despised the jubilant experiences offered by the new wave of Gospel music, which they deemed to be too frivolous.
It was however readily accepted in Pentecostal churches, which did not feel blessed by the subdued traditional type of worship in mainline churches, and they welcomed Gospel music being expressed in a more spiritually powerful way, to the accompaniment of an array of music equipment including drums, guitars and powerful voice projecting speakers and microphones and regarded it as frivolous and shunned this new wave of Gospel music. The traditional church failed to see the positive influence that the contemporary Gospel music could have, which included blessing its listeners and encouraging them to draw nearer to God.
It is this spiritual quality in Gospel music, be it traditional or contemporary, that lifts it up beyond its mere form The late 90’s brought further changes in Gospel music in Zimbabwe and Gospel music inspired a host of modern day contemporary Gospel musicians, who were already saved or who had turned their lives around and found God, who turned from singing worldy songs to singing about God, in their respective contemporary Gospel styles such as R&B, hip hop, went rap, jazz, rock n roll, blues and even went reggae.
Internationally, musicians such as Kirk Franklin, hit the airwaves with his dancing, acrobatic vocals which some conservative Christians deemed to be too loud and close to wordly in everything except the lyrics. In a review of a paper by Ezra Chitando, titled Singing Culture: A Study of Gospel Music in Zimbabwe, Nordic Africa Institute, 2002. 105 pp. SEK 100 (paper), ISBN 978-91-7106-494-3.n, which was reviewed by Tony Perman and Published on H-SAfrica (July, 2003), the reviewer notes that over the past ten years gospel music in Zimbabwe has become a ubiquitous element in the Zimbabwean soundscape. In shops, private homes, and the emergency taxis, gospel competes with more widely known styles of popular music for airspace and recognition.
Modern Gospel music lovers of contemporary or new wave Gospel music do pay homage to the country’s own pioneers in Gospel music, who were the exceptional Gospel musicians who through their music spread gospel around Zimbabwe during the formative years of Gospel music in Zimbabwe. However, the new generation of Gospel musicians say that Zimbabweans must accept the new breed of Gospel Musicians with praise and not with criticism.
Zimbabweans must ensure that the much loved Gospel music builds bridges and not solid walls. Zimbabwe has produced a number of talented Gospel musicians who have given a new touch to Gospel music and some of the notable Gospel musicians in Zimbabwe include Baba naAMai Charamba, Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavane, Pastor G, Mahendere Brothers, Shingisai Suluma, Prince Mafukidze, Mercy Mutsvene, just to mention a few.
What about the allegation that has been commonly levelled against Zimbabwe Gospel musicians of using the esteemed position of Gospel music to make money and to attain fame, yet their personal lives do not in any way conform to being a born-again Christian. For instance, many people quote the story about a local Gospel music diva, whose marital life was splashed in the newspapers - she was alleged to have left her marital husband and run off with her manager. All the gory details of another music couple’s marriage was featured in the local press as they wrangled over their property during their divorce settlement in court.
But who are we to make conclusions and to pass judgment. Are we not better off leaving God himself to sit on the seat of judgment, because He alone is Chief Justice, and we too shall be answerable for how we have lived our lives upon this planet Earth. The biggest test however for Gospel musicians to wrestle with is that as they continues to grow musically, can they continue to make and increase their financial fortune through their music and gain popularity and a generous fan base but still remain humble, and most importantly, can they be able to maintain their SPIRITUAL BASE, which is their mandate in their Godly calling to minister through music and to remind the world of the Good News of Christ.
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