By Jimmy Chazama
An impressive audience got a deserved night of celebration worth their dough on Friday as they got treated to a gospel music feast headlined by South Africa’s Joyous Celebration at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe.
Joyous Celebration shared the stage with local acts including Ndirande Anglican Voices, which travelled all the way from Blantyre, and Great Angels Choir.
Dubbed the Mega Gospel Concert, the show saw Joyous Celebration launching their 28th album.
From the word go, BICC turned out to be a haven of praise and worship and, by the time Joyous Celebration took over the stage, the bar had already been raised by other acts.
All the way from the Rainbow Nation, the 53-member gospel music outfit left no stone unturned, delivering a spirited routine that wowed the audience.
Basking in the glory of several projects named Joyous Celebration, the group served familiar songs, with many of the patrons singing along during a show that spilled over to the early hours of Saturday.
Joyous Celebration founder and director Lindelani Mkhize hailed people for turning out in large numbers during the concert.
He also praised local gospel acts, saying they were exceptional in their performances.
“Next time, we will have collaborations. We love collaborations. The audience has surprised us with their support,” Mkhize said.
Apart from Ndirande Anglican Voices and Great Angels Choir, who warmed up the stage for Joyous Celebration, the other artists that performed included Debbie N and Psalmist Zulu.
Smarting from their triumph in the 2024 MBC Entertainers of the Year Awards with their track ‘Ndimamvetsera Kumwamba’, Ndirande Anglican Voices kept the audience entertained throughout.
Great Angels Choir, popularly known as The People’s Choir, also gave out a top performance, serving songs such as ‘Nza Yahweh.’
Chief Event Organiser Godfrey Zulu said the Mega Gospel Concert was a success.
“The Mega Gospel Concert set the tone for the festive season. What was an idea is now a reality. We are excited to have made history in bringing into the country Joyous Celebration,” Zulu said indicating that they have plans to host another gospel concert next year.
Some of the prominent people that patronised the concert included Minister of Tourism Vera Kamtukule and Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda.
