BY PHUMZILE NDLOVU
MBABANE – Learning from the cream of the crop!
Vastly experienced South African music producer, songwriter, singer, and founder of Koko Records, Nqubeko Mbatha, will be one of the keynote speakers at the fifth edition of the Mother of All Gospel Show workshop on April 27.
The workshop will be held at the Mavuso Exhibition and Trade Centre. It will kick off at 8 a.m. and last until 3 p.m. Tickets to the workshop are E200. The actual show, Mother of All Gospel Shows, will kick off in the evening on the same day at the same venue.
This was confirmed by the brains behind the concept, gospel artist Ndunduzo Matse, who shared with this publication that they chose Mbatha because of his vast experience and love of music to be one of the keynote speakers at the workshop. He said, “Nqubeko is a fully fledged musician and producer. He also holds a master’s degree in music, which he studied at Durban University of Technology (DUT). He has produced music for many artists like Ayanda Ntanzi, his wife Ntokozo Mbambo, Joyous Celebration, and many more.”
Matse went on to say they selected Mbatha because the artists who will attend the workshop are guaranteed to learn from someone who continues to grow and has a lot of experience in the industry.
When asked about the purpose of the workshop, Matse said it was time for musicians and church worship team leaders to come together to learn from each other.
It is worth mentioning that those who purchase tickets to the workshop get free access to the Mother of All Gospel Show that will take place later in the afternoon at the same venue.
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.
The talent search kicked off in January 2024 in all four regions of the country, namely Hhohho, Manzini, Shiselweni, and Lubombo, and currently they are in the elimination phase.
“We have reached the elimination stage. We will announce the exact venue soon, but it will be held in Manzini. We need a bigger space to accommodate an audience, as the elimination stage allows for it.
In a previous interview, Matse said that the 2024 Mother of All Gospel Show will be bigger and better than the previous one. Last year, two ladies won the competition: Gcebile Nkambule and Ntsandvoyenkosi Ngcamphalala. The prize for winning the competition included a live DVD and audio recording after winning the auditions.
Early bird tickets cost E150, while tickets at the gate will cost E200. Tickets are also available online and on MTN MoMo.
About Nqubeko Mbatha
Nqubeko is a South African gospel musician. He studied music at Natal Technikon, now Durban University of Technology (DUT). He has played keys for many acclaimed South African musicians across various music genres. He also served for 11 years as a musical director and then producer of the biggest gospel ensemble in SA, Joyous Celebration.
