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Showbiz Reporter

In honour of budding local, regional and international artistes, Minister Michael Mahendere has chosen to celebrate his 40th birthday in style with a fundraising campaign earmarked for a world-class art recording studio, gospel radio station, and direct worship live equipment.

The establishment of the recording studio whose premises are already in place in Harare, according to the gospel artiste’s handlers, shall inspire up-and-coming local, regional and international artists to strive for higher and original forms of artistic achievement and excellence through quality recordings.

“The gospel radio station to be established at Michael House, as well as the studio, shall provide the opportunity for the publicity and marketing of music and the arts locally and internationally. The Direct Worship live equipment which covers stage equipment, sound system and LED screens shall enhance local touring events to worldclass status and enable the hiring of this equipment to generate revenue to fund recordings for budding artists,” his handlers, Urbane Create Agency said in a statement.

“The projects shall encourage and attract more players to join the gospel music and culture sector and at the same time, confirm the arts and cultural industries as capable of improving the status and quality of life of practitioners.”

The campaign is set to be hosted as a dinner and celebration event at the Golden Conifer in Harare on May 27, the eve of his birthday. A diverse cast of local, regional and global celebrities are set to be in attendance.

Mahendere, fondly known as Minister Michael Mahendere grew up in a family of seven children, with him being the fourth child. His brothers are Akim, Misheck, and Amos, among other siblings. His parents are devout Christians who always taught their children Christian morals.

Minister Michael Mahendere married Vimbai Nyatsambo on December 2011. Vimbai works alongside Michael Mahendere in his work and is the co-manager of his band, Direct Worship. They are well known for their powerful collaborations such as Zvichanaka from Getting Personal with God 2 and also Masimba from Getting Personal with God III. The two have three children together.

He started music at the age of seven in 1990. He began his career being part of the group, Mahendere Brothers which consisted of his brothers. Their first album, Mwari Mukuru released in 1994 topped the charts in Southern Africa. Michael Mahendere was only 11 at the time. He believed there was more he could do to develop himself in terms of music and although he had limited resources, he began to learn how to play instruments.

He started learning the acoustic guitar which his father had bought for them. He then learnt to play the keyboard and the drums in 1998. He never had actual drums, but he improvised to develop his skill. Some of the projects he did with his brothers include Rumbidzo and Mapisarema 23.

From 2008 to 2012, Michael Mahendere recorded Getting Personal with God 1 in studio.

In 2009, he became a music director at the University of Zimbabwe and launched a Chinese Choral group that became attached to the Confucius Institute. He spent about four years travelling to and from and China. In 2011, the church’s choir (UFI Choir) did a musical project in which Michael Mahendere led a song called Makanaka Jesu, which has over 1.8 million YouTube views. The song became a hit up-to-date and topped the radio and television charts in the country.

Minister Michael Mahendere is synonymous with his album series, Getting Personal with God. His solo debut album was in 2012 where he recorded Getting Personal with God 1 with his band, Direct Worship. The album consisted of 15 songs. It was then modified into an 11-track album, excluding Songs like You are Faithul.

His debut album contained hits like We Are Soldiers, Love Song and Holy Forever. In 2013, Minister Michael Mahendere and Direct Worship managed to record their second offering which was Getting Personal with God 2 which has the hit song, Mumoyo and this was followed by the Getting Personal with God 2 Live DVD recording in 2014.

In 2017, Minister Michael Mahendere released his third offering, Getting Personal with God III, which comprised 10 tracks including the popular song, Salt of the Earth and also his collaboration with Loyiso Bala, Chiiko as the sixth track. Chiiko has been dominant on the gospel radio charts in Zimbabwe.

Minister Michael Mahendere also recorded The Getting Personal with God III Live DVD to close the chapter of his 2017 endeavors. The successful event also marked the second volume of Minister Mahendere’s Classical Worship Project which has caught the attention of many.

At the end of 2021, Minister Mahendere released his fourth offering of the Getting Personal with God Album Series, titled “Mercy”. This album contained songs such as the main hit single Zvaringana (It is well), Kudza Jehovah, Tangai Neni and Nyasha Dzaishe.

Minister Mahendere released Worship Classics in 2015, a four-track single which consists mainly of Zimbabwean classic hymnals. In March 2016, Minister Mahendere also released a single entitled Mandiri, which was packaged with a bonus video of his song, Mweya Mutsvene. Minister Michael Mahendere also featured South African artist, Loyiso Bala in September 2016 on the single, Chiiko.

In 2018, he was appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for World Vision in the fight to End Violence Against Children. He went on to record a song called Do the right thing featuring children from around Zimbabwe.

Minister Mahendere recorded the album Secret Place of Worship 1 (SPOW) in 2020.