Divine Appointments: Chipangas sing God’s goodness

06 Sep, 2015 - 00:09 0 Views
Divine  Appointments: Chipangas sing God’s goodness Charles and Namatai Chipanga

The Sunday Mail

Are Charles and Namatai Chipanga a replica of the celebrated first family of gospel music, Pastor Charles and Olivia Charamba? Chipanga, in 2010 married another musician Namatai Mubariki, who is currently a vocal trainer at the Zimbabwe College of Music. Chipanga released his album “Goodness” on September 1, which will be launched at the end of the month. Tendai Manzvanzvike (TM) spoke to Chipanga (CC) about the new album, his marriage and Christian walk.

Charles and Namatai Chipanga

Charles and Namatai Chipanga

TM: Welcome to Divine Appointments. How is Namatai? And, what makes your relationship tick?

CC: Thank you! Namatai is great and doing very well. We are just covered in grace. There are a lot of similarities between us. Both our fathers are late, and we were raised by our mothers who love the Lord.

My mother, who lives in Kadoma and has been a preacher in the Zimbabwe Methodist Church for a very long time cultivated the Christian faith in me.

TM: Do you have a family yet?

CC: No, but definitely next year.

TM: Is it that so well planned?

CC: Yeah! That is always what we wanted – to enjoy just the two of us. And now that we have, we can take in a third person on board.

TM: And, congratulations for your “Goodness” album and the goodness that God has given you. It’s very different from the other gospel stuff I have listened to. This is album number what?

CC: This is album number three, but under the Chalenam stable it is the second one. My first solo album is “Prayer expose – Namatai”. And the second one is by Namatai – “Praise moments”. And this one is “Goodness” again by Charles.

TM: When you say “Prayer expose – Namatai” and you are married to someone called Namatai, was this coincidence or you wanted to sing about her?

CC: Our marriage was never a coincidence, starting from the way we met when she was singing in the Presbyterian Church, where I had just visited. I couldn’t even hear what the pastor was saying. I just wanted the service to end so that I could talk to the sister. That day, hey, God forgive me, I didn’t even hear anything. I just heard her good voice and when the service ended, I spoke to her.

TM: So, was it love at first sight for both of you?

CC: It wasn’t an easy road. But for some reason two years later, I joined Oliver Mtukudzi’s band and she was also part of Tuku’s band. We grew closer and got to know each other better and then we got married in 2010.

Even the Chalenam label was not just a joining of names. Charles means a principled person. Namatai means prayerful. So, our band is a principled and prayerful band.

That is why we call it Chalenam. I really believe that everything was divinely ordained.

My first project was to write about an expose on prayer, dealing with issues that had to do with prayer; how God answers prayer; how we should pray. For example – we don’t pray through the name of Jesus, but we pray in the name of Jesus.

So, we were just educating people on how to pray; how to wait for results.

TM: Which church were you going to when you met?

CC: I was still going to AFM Shiloh Word Miracle Centre in Mabelreign pastored by Reverend Sasa.

But when we got married, we looked for a new and independent church. She was a key person in her church and I was a key person in my church so to balance the two, we just had to say: you leave yours and I leave mine and we look for an independent church.

TM: How did you look for it?

CC: Meeting the pastor that I have now was through dreams. I saw the man in a dream. I didn’t know him but I just saw him talking to me.

Then one day, my mother got sick and I was just sharing with another guy about her problem, and he told me that there was a man of God who could pray for her and she would be delivered from the hypertension.

The moment I saw him, I knew that he was the man I was supposed to meet, and then everything just happened. That’s how I got to be at Tabernacle of Grace Church, led by Apostle Batsirai Java.

TM: And Namatai is comfortable?

CC: Yes, very, very comfortable. We are both praise and worship leaders; and deacons in the church as well.

TM: Let’s go back to Namatai. She was with Oliver Mtukudzi and then you joined her. These are two very different music genres. You are into gospel music. I don’t know whether you call it that or maybe praise and worship or worship music. And Tuku, here and there can spice up with some hymnals. Did you feel that you were compromising your principles singing Tuku’s music?

CC: I can say that much of the stuff that Oliver sings has to do with the social aspects of life – how people should live together peacefully. I believe it is gospel because gospel is good news.

But, I sing Christian music; my music is Christ-centred. Christ is the source of my inspiration; He is the one I am talking about every other time.

So, it didn’t sound awkward to be part and parcel of Tuku’s band. It was a learning experience. I believe we all have to go through that. I cannot demonise his music really. I find nothing awkward about it. It’s like you are a quality controller at Madison and then a deacon in church.

TM: Or at Castle Breweries or Afdis?

CC: There is nothing you can do. You just have to work, but it helped me grow in the music aspect. It helped me understand and have experience over the years. It also helped me to shape the music that I am singing. The experience that I got with Tuku was immeasurable. It was a great thing that I got or, I can say that it was a plus on my side.

TM: Apart from music what else do you do?

CC: We are entrepreneurs doing events management. We have an events company and we also have a few taxis roaming around town.

TM: Let’s now turn to your latest release “Goodness”, with the sleeve where Charles is carrying a Jembe drum. What are you saying about that “goodness”?

CC: I am saying goodness is an attribute of our maker, the exact character of God that He gives unto us.

Goodness is both ways. If you read Galatians 5:22, it’s a fruit of the Spirit that you should have, and it’s also the character of our God. This is what the album is talking about.

TM: There is only one track with an English title, “Favour and grace.” Why one only because your age group normally likes to sing in English? Even the lyrics and instruments are not what I see your age mates play. It’s more like Tuku and others.

CC: If you check my music, I don’t think that it’s the music of my age. I grew up being friends with older people. I never had a friend of my age. God is looking for the person who worships Him in Spirit and in truth. So, I have to fill in that void.

TM: Do you do live shows?

CC: Yes. We have been doing mainly corporates.

TM: The whole band?

CC: Yes!

TM: You said Christian music but in terms of instruments, it’s a fusion and the mixture makes it very rich. Many people from different parts of the country or even Africa can identify with the instrumentation. Why this fusion?

CC: Tuku helped me to take pride in African instruments. I’m one person who believes in our local stuff.

TM: Final remarks?

CC: Jesus is coming soon and don’t be weary in what you are doing.

 

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