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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Covid-19-induced lockdown could not deter budding Victoria Falls gospel group, Called to Worship, from fulfilling its mission, to preach to the world.

Called to Worship, a 10-member interdenominational gospel group formed by Nkanyiso Mthunzi released an EP with four songs online last year in December and had planned a live launch where Mkhululi Bhebhe would have been guest in April.

The four songs on the EP are Ngonyama KaJuda, uJehova Ngumelusi, Ngcwele and Bhayibheri.

The outbreak of the coronavirus which led to the national lockdown in March put asunder every plan but the group had plan B.

It officially released the song Ngonyama KaJuda on September 6 and is working on releasing uJehova Ngumelusi with a video in November.

All songs were recorded at Percy Studios in Bulawayo.

Mthunzi said the coronavirus affected the group’s initial plans.

“We wanted to make adequate preparations as a group before releasing any songs. Before then we were doing live concerts at Abundant Church. We were targeting a live launch for our EP in April but Covid-19 affected us as the producer could not finish the project. We had planned to have Mkhululi Bhebhe in Victoria Falls for the launch but all this failed because of the lockdown,” said Mthunzi.

He said the group’s conviction is to reach out to nations through music.

“We are not pastors but we can preach through music. We want to lift music in Victoria Falls and see its people going out there in one spirit to preach to the world that besides tourism we have music to show to the world. I love African sound hence my music is afro fusion,” he said.

Mthunzi said the song Ngonyama kaJuda has so far performed well and has been played on local Breeze FM radio station as well as Hillbrow Radio in South Africa.

“We are planning to release uJehova Ngumelusi with a video in November and then release others thereafter. We are working on about five more songs as we want to make the EP an album,” added Mthunzi.

Mthunzi said while the group faces financial challenges, it has enjoyed tremendous support from music fans in Victoria Falls.

They will be performing at a number of weddings in Bulawayo in December. — @ncubeleon.