The Sunday Mail
AFTER four years without releasing anything new, gospel musicians Charles and Olivia Charamba will on Wednesday launch two albums at the at the Zimbabwe College of Music in Harare.
Mai Charamba told The Sunday Mail Society that her new album, “Voice of Miriam”, and her husband’s “Abba Father”, marked the end of a dry spell in their long musical careers.
“We would like to apologise to our fans for taking so long without releasing new songs. We are back with a bang,” she said.
“The two albums are ready for launch.”
Mai Charamba’s upcoming album carries eight tracks while Baba Charamba’s has nine songs which features a track — “Tudikidiki” – on which he collaborated with CCAP Voice of Mbare.
“The reason for the dual offering is that we both have taken long since we released albums as individuals. This is some sort of a compensation to our fans,” said Mai Charamba.
“We have partnered with Zimpapers to distribute our CDs which will be sold for US$1 at newspaper selling points.
“God is speaking into people’s lives through these albums. We felt His presence right from the composing stage. Some of the songs on ‘Voice of Miriam’ include ‘Vana Mumasango’, ‘Boycott Sin’, ‘Ndiri Munana’ among others.”
Mai Charamba said the four-year break from recording gave her time to reflect on the impact her music had on listeners.
Their last offering, “WeNazareta”, did not reach the heights of efforts like “Vhuserere”.
Pr Charamba ventured into music with “Tinashe Akatendeka”, followed by “Johane 3:16”. After these early successes, his career really took off with “Vhuserere” (2000) and “Exodus” (2001).
Mai Charamba, whom he married in 1997, came on as a backing vocalist before going solo with “Amen”, “Daily Bread” and “The Gospel”.
Although Pr Charamba’s “Sunday Service” (2003) marked a dip, he regained momentum with “Verses and Chapters” in 2004, and steamed on with “New Testament in Song” (2007) and “Pashoko Pangoma” (2010). The Charamba’s and their group, Fishers of Men, have toured the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique.
