Performers, who have dreamt of sharing the stage with successful musicians like Rebecca Malope and Joyous Celebration, now have the opportunity to showcase their talent. Organisers say the talent search is open to gospel musicians from all walks of life, including soloists, bands, choirs and instrumentalists.

Auditions will start in Mamelodi, Pretoria on the 5th of August before going to Soweto, Polokwane, Durban, Nelspruit and end in Cape Town in September.

The judges will choose two finalists from each region (12 in total) who will travel to ONE Gospel studio’s in Jo’burg, to participate in the knock out rounds. Every Sunday, performers will have to impress the judges and studio audience to stay in the competition. Three finalists will be eliminated at the end of each episode and in the final episode, judges and studio audience will vote for the overall winner.

The winner of this inaugural talent show will walk away with a lucrative cash prize, a CD and DVD recording deal from SouthStone Records and an opportunity to perform at ONE Gospel’s debut concert in December.

Shine will premiere on Sunday August 8, 2010 at 5pm on ONE Gospel, Channel 331 on DStv.

Audition venues and dates:
5 & 6 August 2010: Mamelodi, Pretoria
12 & 13 August, 2010 Soweto, Jo’burg
19 & 20 August, 2010 Lakazi, Nelspruit
26 & 27 August 2010 Seshego, Polokwane
2 & 3 September 2010 Khayelitsha, Cape Town
9 & 10 September 2010 Umlazi, Durban

“The group of 58 young males will deliver an exciting tour that includes religious songs, contemporary music, folklore and popular music”, organizers said.

The KwaZulu Natal choir is currently ranked number seventeen in the Musica Mundi World Rankings and is the leading folklore choir amongst more than 3,500 such groups around the world. During the Taiwan tour, the choir will perform in Taichung (July 8th) and in Taipei (July 9th).

After its performances in Taiwan, the group is scheduled to go to Japan and then to China to compete in the sixth annual World Choir Games.

Since 1996 the choir’s performances have achieved international recognition. Their international breakthrough came in 1997, when they came second at the prestigious Vienna International Youth and Music Festival.
In 1999, they won in the folklore category of the 7th International Musica Mundi Choir Competition in Europe and came second in the mixed choir category. In 2006, they cemented their world ranking by winning one gold and two silver medals at the World Choir Games in China and bagged three gold and silver medals in the 2008 games in Austria.

In 2006, he persuaded a solo career that has spawned three acclaimed albums; Restoration, Rival and In the Holy of the Holies. We caught up with Keke ahead of his much-awaited tour of Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia.

Q: What do you think makes people love you so much?
A: [laughs] I think the main reason is that I sing songs that relate to many people in Southen Africa. I try to break language boundaries by composing songs that are easy to listen to and make people understand where I’m coming from and going.

Q: How is your latest album doing, in terms of sales?
A: Not so good, compared to the previous albums. My albums generally sell over 10 000 units in the first three months but this one has taken about four months to sell 10 000 units. But I’m happy because we realised that it was just a marketing problem, we fixed the problem and now sales are picking up.

Q: What are you working on at present?
A: I’m working on a national talent search that targets all the undiscovered musicians in South Africa. The main aim is to develop local talent and monitor it because we have many talented artists in S.A who don’t know how to enhance their careers once they’ve released an album. So this initiative will discover artists, help them record and monitor their careers.

Q: That sounds great! When can we expect it?
A: Very soon, everything is going smoothly. We’re currently looking for a sponsor because this is a very big project. So once we finalise that, we will be ready to launch.

Q: Good luck on the awesome initiative. Are you planning to release another album soon?
A: Yes. I’m working on my new album and will be released in June next year (2011).

Q: How do you feel about the current state of gospel music?
A: It’s growing and I’m impressed with the new talent coming up in the industry. The talent is there, we just have to find better ways of promoting our music.

Q: I’m sure your talent search will play a major part in solving that. Do you have any message for your fans?
A: Definitely. I thank all my fans for the support and I want to say to my young fans; don’t be afraid, we have the ability.

Venue: Gallagher Convention Centre, Hall 2
Date: 19th & 20th March 2010
Time: 19h30 (Doors open at 19h00)
Price: Entrance is free (maximum of 3 tickets per customer)
Ticket Collection: Please collect your tickets at Computicket, Shoprite, Checkers and Checkers Hyper before the event as there will be no collection facilities at the venue

For more information please follow the link below: http://www.computicket.com/web/event/back_2_the_beginning_conference/120591157

uThando is the first secular album by iconic South African gospel singer, Deborah Fraser. The 10-track album was produced by Sello “Chicco” Twala, Sipho Sithole, Master Wakes and Abe Sibiya – four music industry stalwarts with over 60 years of combined experience in the business.

Unlike her previous albums, uThando meaning love, is an Afro-pop offering based on secular themes.

Released in 2009, the album was recorded in the aftermath of tragic events in Fraser’s life. She had been dealing with the demise of her marriage as well as the death of her parents and brother. The Durban-native says she had to “ease the pain by straying away from emotional gospel lyrics”.

The album fires-off with the turbo-charged lead single “Kusi kusi”, which was composed and produced by Chicco. With little help from the trendy vocoder effect, the songstress comfortably swings with the beat, talking about hope and optimism. Fraser marries her soothing voice with Sipho Sithole’s jazzy beat on the next song, “uThando”, which talks about love and happiness.

The singer then dedicates “You let me fly”, which is one of her best songs on the album, to her late father. Siya’s emotional R&B instrumental helps Fraser lament the death of her father in a way certain to attract sympathetic responses from her fans .

Another noteworthy track is “Kwerekwere (Nobody deserves to be called)”. The afro pop-flavored track sees Fraser calling on all South Africans to “love and stop discriminating foreigners”.

The CD sleeve reads: “To all my Gospel supporters, I still love you and won’t let you down. I will release next year and thank you so much for your continued support”. So, if you are a Christian and enjoys her gospel music, there is no need to worry, Deborah Fraser is still in good hands.

Cover/Art: 4/5 | Sound/Technical: 4/5 | “I like it factor”: 6.5/10

The Potter’s House founder will host a two-day conference dubbed “Back to Beginning”at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Johannesburg on 19 and 20 March. However, this year’s conference will be smaller than his ever-popular MegaFest, which attracted over 200 000 Christians from the African continent two years ago.

According to the reports, the iconic preacher will also give business tips at a global business summit scheduled for 19 March at the same venue. The summit, which is for anyone who is dedicated to excel in business leadership, provides attendees with opportunities to network with experienced leaders.

Since launching his MegaFest in Atlanta, USA six years ago, TD Jakes has reached out to millions of people across the world. His debut MegaFest drew an overall record-breaking attendance of 560 000, with an economic impact of up to $125 million on the city.

Twice featured on the cover of Time magazine as “America’s Best Preacher” and as one of America’s “25 most influential evangelicals”, Bishop T. D. Jakes leads more than 30,000 members of The Potter’s House in Dallas. He first visited Africa in1995 and since then, he has toured a host of African countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria and South Africa.

This year’s addition reflects the growth in the gospel sector with four new categories added namely: Best Maskandi, Best Pop-Rock, Best R&B /Rap Gospel and Best Engineer.

According to the President of World Gospel PowerHouse, Zanele Mbokazi, “These new categories were added following an outcry from the public and the gospel music artists.”

The 2009 awards will be held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban on the Sunday the 22^nd of November, 2009.

Iconic gospel musician, Rebecca Malope took home the Lifetime Achievement Award last year and looks set to give contenders another tough time this year following the release of her 30th album ‘My Hero’

Nominations opened on the 5th of August and will run until September 16, 2009. Nomination forms are available at www.cgma.co.za or by contacting 031-303-3520.

The categories are:

Best Male Gospel Artist

Best Female Gospel Artist

Best Newcomer

Best Acapella – open (solo-group)

Best Gospel Group

Best Album Contemporary: Traditional

Best Pop-Rock Gospel (solo- group)

Best Traditional Gospel (solo- group)

Best Choral Album

Best Maskandi Gospel Music (solo-group)

Best R&B-Rap Gospel (solo- group)

Best Praise & Worship

Best Gospel Instrumental (solo- roup)

Best AmaZion (solo-group)

Best Jazz (solo-group)

Best DVD

Best Selling Album

Classic of All Times

Best Engineer

Best Gospel Music Video Best Gospel Producer

Best Gospel Artist

Best Song Writer

Best Gospel Song