UFIC Choir rebrands, launches label

19 Mar, 2017 - 00:03 0 Views
UFIC Choir rebrands,  launches label Two is company . . . Pastor Mahendere (Left) shares a lighter moment with gospel music icon Mechanic Manyeruke during UFIC’’s choir album launch in the capital last week

The Sunday Mail

Tariro Charandura
The United Family International Church Choir has re-branded and launched its own recording label called Family Music, which aims to take gospel music to the next level.

Previously, the choir did not have an identity in terms of a particular name, but from henceforth it has adopted the name UFI Church Choir.

The re-branding and unveiling of the record label were done last week when the choir launched its 10th album titled “In the Sanctuary”.

At the launch, one of the choir leaders, Pastor Michael Mahendere, said Family Music would search for talent and mentor upcoming gospel music singers.

Pr Mahendere said, “We are looking forward to touch different nations, tribes and people. We are looking forward to doing recordings like UFI Church Choir Live in South Africa, in Nigeria, in all places; and that is what we are going to do.

“We are going to reach the Chinese, Asian countries and even singing in Chinese. Family Music will raise more people who can do wonders in music.”

The choir’s leader, Pr Hubert Chigumira, said they were opening a new page in their approach to music.

“From now on we have a new way of doing business,” he said.

“We have been keeping our music to ourselves. But this is a new game altogether.”

The choir’s 10th album comes in both audio and a live DVD recorded at Life Haven.

There were also live launches of the album on radio stations last weekend and since then it has been attracting much attention from listeners.

The album has 12 songs mainly in English, Shona and Ndebele.

“Thank You Lord”, composed by Prophetess Ruth Makandiwa and sung by Pr Chigumira, opens the album.

There are four songs which deal with holiness — “Holy Are You Lord” (performed by Adrian Nyangombe), “Mutsvene” (Ezekiel Chimheno), “Mutsvene Baba” (Alexander Gunda) and “Mutsvene Muri Ishe” (Pr Mahendere).

Explaining the reason behind having many songs about holiness on the album, Pr Chigumira said this reflected the place where the songs were recorded.

“Life Haven is a place of worship,” he said. “We took the concept from the book of Revelations where there are beasts which always bow down saying ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’ to God.”

“Most High” was composed by Pr Chigumira and has lines at the end taken from popular gospel musician Sonnie Badu’s song “Baba”.

Other songs on the album include “Show me a Sign”, “Holy Spirit”, “Sanctify Me”, “No Other Name”, “Mbiri Kuna Jesu” and “Taura Mweya”.

Previous albums from UFI Church Choir include “Season of the Spirt”, “Possessing the Promises”, “We Are Family”, “Revival Songs” and “Divine Solutions” Volumes 1, 2 and 3.

UFI Church Choir, made up of more than 600 members, was set up as a praise and worship team for the church led by Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa.

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