Charamba’s New Album Breaks Into The International Market

By Dickson Bandera

In a historic development set to thrust Pastor Charles and Olivia Charamba into the ‘long overdue’ international spotlight, the renowned gospel couple recently sealed a marketing deal for their latest album WeNazareta, with NEXT MUSIC, a Sony Entertainment affiliate, based in South Africa.

The contract will see WeNazareta being marketed across the world, through renowned music retailers hence capable of being found in any country and played on any radio station or online platforms.

Although some critics have downsized the album, describing it as ‘substandard’ “too English” and a “bad experiment”, the unique experiment, on instrumental and vocal layering of this album may become a surprise magnum opus for the Gospel First Family.

The NEXT deal is giant step towards commercial success, international branding and a shield against the most feared music piracy, the same opportunity that has catapulted many musicians to international stardom.

Next Music is an independent entertainment company based in Johannesburg, South Africa and is the exclusive licensee for several leading international record labels including EDEL Music, Spotify, Armada Music and the World’s leading classical label NAXOS.

WeNazareta, Charambas 13^th album, becomes the first to secure a ‘passport and a visa,’ a development that testifies maturity, considering the massive search for the so-called ‘international standards’ carried before music is accepted into the label.

In a wide-ranging interview recently, Pastor Charles Charamba said he was happy that the album had broken new grounds after years of spirited trials.

“We had tried to knock on the international doors for a long time, but the response finally came with WeNazareta, and I salute the album for that,” he said. 

“These are the first strides and if we are consistent, our music is no longer a small thing,” he added saying that the album has come with new fans to add on the list.

Following this fete, Pastor Charamba said would work to ensure that the Fishers of Men brand is firmly established both at home and abroad.

“The development means we have to continue to work hard so that we preach to the whole world not only to locals,” he said.

The gospel supremo said he understood why some fans and critics had not accepted the album saying the fans were used to the traditional Charamba rhythms.

“The fans are right because they know what they are accustomed to.  Vanoziva zvatakavajaidza nokuti they have been following us for quite long now,” he said.

Charamba however said his music had not taken a total shift but had just fused in and experimented on the jazz domination.

“In this album we fused our traditional rhythms with some elements of jazz. This is not a total shift from our traditional overtones but we have embraced jazz so that we do not become monotonous. Monotone is the worst thing in music.”

In his rosy career spanning over two decades now, Charamba has commanded huge respect from both secular and gospel fans. His search for African identity that has seen him fusing genres like mbaquanga, mhande, mbakumba, jiti, reggae and pansula, and among other genres, has made his music a hybrid with hits such as “Machira Chete,” “Ibasa Rangu,” “Nyika YeZimbabwe” and “Mhinduro iriko,” not to talk about NAMA and ZIMA Awards.

However, it has been international recognition where he has lagged behind.

WeNazareta presents a unique emphasis towards the international appeal while maintaining the usual styles. Composed of ten tracks, WeNazareta is packed with well researched Bible lyrics that blend well with awesome guitar chords and the traditional beats.

In it, one finds Charles and Olivia collaborating for the first time in a single album, not for Olivia not for Charles but The Charambas.

The couple co-occupied the foreground on lead vocals unlike in our past albums where one would take a back seat. This has brought in a new feel and the subtle textures voices create layers of sound that are a delight to hear.

The album, however, like the album Sunday Service of 2003, takes a serious music listener to ascertain its actual position.

The album title points straight to Charamba’s all-weather theme, Jesus of Nazareth. The well designed album sleeve presents a successful, happy and inspirational music couple, clad in fine African apparel with Mai Charamba holding the tambourine while Charamba holds a microphone. Charamba‘s neck tie with a keyboard design completes the puzzle.

Charamba voices are paraded throughout the album and clean vocal harmonies as those in “Ndiwe,” “Munopindura” and “Rudo, Tsitsi nemutsa” are musically powerful, proving the music maxim that the best duet comes from a couple. 

The album opens with “Kukunamatai Jesu” a subtle song where Charamba encourages the Christian community to prioritize prayer and worship always.

The fans favorite, “Ndiwe,” which was almost played thrice in Australia by demand, is a song where Charamba thanks God for a lifetime partner. The partners also complement each other for the roles in shaping one another.

In the track “Men of David” Charamba introduced swing jazz and the English song talks about being resolute in adversity.

In “Najehovha Zvinoita,” Charamba proclaims that with God all things are possible while in “Glory be to the Lord,” a song more into Mai Charamba signature, the message is praise and worship to God for the life and order that we enjoy.

“Mugamuchire” urges partners to be tolerant, accommodative and desist from focusing on weaknesses of the partner in marriages. The song borrows from the fast sungura beat and some elements of mbakumba.

“Ndinochemera Jesu” is a song where one is lamenting misfortune in life and presenting his case before the Lord for solution. The musicians implore people to seek life solutions from the Lord.

“Rudo, Tsitsi, Nyasha ne Mutsa,” another duet by the couple talks about being thankful to parents and guardians in appreciation of great works of these important people.

 “Munopindura,” talks about how faithful God is as He answers prayers and knows what is best for us.

Charamba has not been confined to artistic limitations and has always tried to spice his music with national ethos, values and ethics so that he educates society through music.

In “No woman should die,” the Charambas urge the community to adopt safe methods of giving birth to avoid loss of life. The song is a social responsibility project, composed after a request by the Ministry of Health and Child Care and goes in the category of “Mukondombera,” “Musatyaira makadhakwa” and “Mhinduro iriko, which incorporated social issues.”

In today’s gospel music, experiments such as these can be credited as paving the way for a new field of influence and a new spectrum of musical capabilities that have for long been a cause for concern.  

Zimbabwe has always cried over the inability of musicians to make international impact, with only few names like Tuku, Mapfumo, Mokoomba and Hope Masike having made significant impact.

Just across the Limpopo, South Africa boasts of a host of great names like Zahara, Hugh Masekela, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Letta Mbulu and the late Lucky Dube, just to mention a few, whose music has broken into the international scene.

Can Zimbabwean musicians take the bold steps and start creating music that fit internationally; can our local audience develop listening skills so that music is not just dismissed from uninformed positions? With that attitude, we may see more Mutukudzis and our own Zaharas and Masekelas right from this end.