BY PHUMZILE NDLOVU
MBABANE – Are you the next big star?
The Mother of All Gospel Shows Rising Star Talent Search will kick off next month, and the first stop will be Hhohho.
The auditions will be held in all four regions, namely Hhohho, Manzini, Shiselweni, and Lubombo. It is worth mentioning that the auditions are free and kick off at 9 a.m. at all centres.
The first auditions will be held at Pigg’s Peak on February 2 at the Pigg’s Peak Arts Centre. The next day, it will be held at the Mbabane Club. On February 9, it will be held at the Siteki Arts Centre, and the next day it will be at the Nhlangano Arts Centre. The last one will be held in Manzini on February 17.
When reached for comment, the brains behind The Mother of All Gospel Shows, Gospel artist Ndunduzo Matse, shared with this publication that they have entered the talent search phase, and this year it is going to be bigger than last year. “This year we are coming in full force, and we have also secured a deal with Eswatini TV, which will document the auditions. You will note that last year they were involved part-time, but this year they are fully behind us.”
Matse went on to share that last year, the Mother of All Gospel Shows exceeded expectations. “We had set out to record only two artists who won the competition but ended up recording all 17 finalists. People are excited; they can’t wait; the reaction is great as they are sharing the news everywhere on social media,” shared Matse.
According to Matse, all the finalists, including the two winners, are doing very well, as they are booked and are busy. “We are happy they are getting recognition and bookings even in their home areas, which is what we wanted for them to be recognised.”.
This year, the Mother of All Gospel Shows will be held on April 27 at the Mavuso Exhibition and Trade Centre. Tickets to the show are now available. Early Bird tickets cost E150. Worth noting is that tickets at the gate will cost E200. Tickets are available online and on MTN MoMo; there are no physical tickets for now.
The Mother of All Gospel Shows concept started in 2016. Matse shared that the purpose of inventing this show was inspired by the need to grow the industry and create a platform for both established and upcoming artists to showcase their God-given talent. Matse shared in a previous interview that he is driven by the passion to discover, develop, and expose new talent, which is his greatest inspiration.
Last year’s show was held at the Mavuso Exhibition Centre main hall. It was well attended by Gospel fans that came to witness the live recording and enjoy the music. Some of the musicians who performed included South African Gospel artists, namely SbuNoah, Mpumi Mtsweni, Canaan Nyathi, Xiliswa Kwinana, Thina Zungu, who sang with his son Muzi, and the son of the late gospel artist Neyi Zuma. Local artists who performed were Linda Dlamini, Banele Dlamini,Nothando Dlamin, Ndoni Ndlangamandla, Bhelakzi, and many more.
