Entertainment / Music
Going For Africa Gold: Bethen Steals Africa's Gospel Music Limelight
04 Feb 2016 at 18:44hrs | Views
GOING FOR AFRICA'S GOSPEL GOLD: Africa’s emerging gospel music female diva Bethen Pasinawako Ngolomi 'A woman of destiny’ 2015 Album Cover Photo Courtesy of MTN
Famous God anointed African Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa's Permican Award of Excellency winning songstress and the architect and brainchild behind 2015 African Golden Virtual Awards Best African Group gospel outfit, Extreme Afrique Gospel Choir, Bethen Pasinawako Ngolomi has been described as a buoyant 'woman of destiny' in the highly sensitive and challenging Africa gospel music industry. She is Africa's spiritual pioneer of modern female gospel music in Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole and has played a very pivotal role in paving the way for girls and women to venture into the Church domain that in ages past used and in some cases is still discriminating against women participating in Christian matters of leadership. She should be considered largely responsible for the way we demonstrate Christian gospel music today in Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole.
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Bethen has defied all odds of gender disparities and social stigma associated with women getting involved in God's work at such a high level. Her life story portrays her as a woman alive and dramatic and set to inspire many girls and women dare the odds of the odds of the much male dominated gospel music industry in Africa. There is absolutely nothing mellow about her. To her, invasion of the African gospel arena challenge is fair game to be taken and conquered. She is currently riding high on the wave of the media, and which has and will continue to actually direct her course to stardom. If publicity seemed bad before, Bethen has breathed living life into it and is hyping it further, as she smiles all the way across Africa. If everyone warned her against doing something, she was apt to do the opposite, refusing to bow to fear, despite the fact that she started her road to fame at a tender age while still in high school, she would sneak out to record her solo debut Ndinzwerei (try me o Lord) which shockingly stole the limelight in Zimbabwe and spread as far as inflaming gospel music lovers of southern Africa.
In fact, there is nothing too radical for Bethen. Whatever its taking to "get the people back to God"—Bethen is doing it. She has sat and dinned with the "publicans and prostitutes," showing up in places where the average Christian woman was afraid to go. The poor, the common, and the rich all love her for it, and they show up at her live performances by the thousands.
In a time when girls and women are only recognized as an "accessory," to ministry, Bethen has built a brand name in the African gospel music world. She has set up Extreme Afrique Gospel Choir with a burning zeal and passion to promote the girl child and women and encourage them to dare the odds and lead the Church through their God-given musical gifts. Her husband Mr Lyton Ngolomi is an icon and founding father of modern gospel music genres which are exploding to become a favorite in the African continent. The all gospel music producer is the Midas touch behind the popular African gospel music Lyngo Beats. He is the hitmaker for a lot of Zimbabwe gospel divas, the likes Blessing Shumba, Mathias Mhere and Agatha Murudzwa. Her Extreme Afrique Gospel Choir outfit has been built and dedicated to praising God in Africa, and is branded with unmistakable African feel.
Bethen is rising against heightened social upheavals in Zimbabwe a special time though when the "dos" and "don'ts" of religion, discriminating women in the ministry are fast losing strength.
Unlike most female gospel artists in Africa, she has escaped attacked and libel and has maintained her robust stance to retain her recognized status as 'a woman of destiny'. Throughout her youth, Bethen's dogmatic character began to surface. She had a sportive, playful attitude toward authority. If you were chosen to be a leader over her, you would have to impressively prove you could do it before expecting any submission from her! She wasn't completely disrespectful or rebellious, and she never truly meant to be a challenge to authority. It was just that her leadership ability was so great, that those around her were automatically challenged and left speechless. Even as a child, when Bethen walked onto the stage to sing, she would capture everyone's attention without having to speak one word.
Bethen was a "study in relaxed determination." At seventeen, she was a beautiful girl who had discovered her musical gift and had already sailed to fame and seemed to have everything she wanted. Unlike the other African girls, she kept her purity until her Mr Right, Lyton Ngolomi, came along and proposed to marry to her. Happily wedded they are but have not yet spoken about children. The two are lovebirds and are financially comfortable. They wear stylish designer clothes, and are an adoration to their thousands of fans across Africa.
Finally Bethen's word to the girls and women out there in Africa desiring to go for the Africa gospel gold in the music industry is that they should, be bold in the mainstream of life, but should not allow the secular world to clone them in their mold.
'Be uninhibited and freely demonstrate the love and freedom that Jesus brought to the earth. And stand firm in the face of pressure, never flinching in the face of fear. Also, be bold to perform the plan of God for your life in the strength of what heaven has called you to do.' said Bethen.
She further encourages girls and women in the ministry of God to be passionate in the gifts of the Spirit, but never be excessive.
'Don't intimidate the crowd just because you have the power and the gift,' she instructed. Bethen often used the example of an automobile and its power to make this point. Although it could easily go eighty miles an hour, one would have to be very foolish to rev it to that speed in the middle of a crowd. She points out that such power from the Holy Spirit has always there, but that it is meant to be used over the long haul of ministering God's service to others.
'Stay in the middle of the road: Being excessive might skyrocket you, but you will eventually explode and plummet to earth. The Christian faith is a way of life, so run it like a marathon - not a sprint.'
Now it's up to the girl child and women of Africa to take the torch Bethen is passing on to us, never settling for the mediocrity of a "religious" life. With her as a role model and emerging African gospel music icon she is billed to shake your world for God with the freedom, boldness, and wisdom that God has given her.
She finally urges all to stand strong in the "middle of the road," as they fulfill their personal destiny in the call of God.
Last year in December she released her brand new album Paita Nyasha (His Grace Is Here) Apparently she has earlier this year released a new single dubbed 'Mambakwedza' (Dawn in English) in collaboration with Zimdancehall music maestro Tocky Vibes of the recent Toti Toti fame.
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Bethen has defied all odds of gender disparities and social stigma associated with women getting involved in God's work at such a high level. Her life story portrays her as a woman alive and dramatic and set to inspire many girls and women dare the odds of the odds of the much male dominated gospel music industry in Africa. There is absolutely nothing mellow about her. To her, invasion of the African gospel arena challenge is fair game to be taken and conquered. She is currently riding high on the wave of the media, and which has and will continue to actually direct her course to stardom. If publicity seemed bad before, Bethen has breathed living life into it and is hyping it further, as she smiles all the way across Africa. If everyone warned her against doing something, she was apt to do the opposite, refusing to bow to fear, despite the fact that she started her road to fame at a tender age while still in high school, she would sneak out to record her solo debut Ndinzwerei (try me o Lord) which shockingly stole the limelight in Zimbabwe and spread as far as inflaming gospel music lovers of southern Africa.
In fact, there is nothing too radical for Bethen. Whatever its taking to "get the people back to God"—Bethen is doing it. She has sat and dinned with the "publicans and prostitutes," showing up in places where the average Christian woman was afraid to go. The poor, the common, and the rich all love her for it, and they show up at her live performances by the thousands.
In a time when girls and women are only recognized as an "accessory," to ministry, Bethen has built a brand name in the African gospel music world. She has set up Extreme Afrique Gospel Choir with a burning zeal and passion to promote the girl child and women and encourage them to dare the odds and lead the Church through their God-given musical gifts. Her husband Mr Lyton Ngolomi is an icon and founding father of modern gospel music genres which are exploding to become a favorite in the African continent. The all gospel music producer is the Midas touch behind the popular African gospel music Lyngo Beats. He is the hitmaker for a lot of Zimbabwe gospel divas, the likes Blessing Shumba, Mathias Mhere and Agatha Murudzwa. Her Extreme Afrique Gospel Choir outfit has been built and dedicated to praising God in Africa, and is branded with unmistakable African feel.
Bethen is rising against heightened social upheavals in Zimbabwe a special time though when the "dos" and "don'ts" of religion, discriminating women in the ministry are fast losing strength.
Unlike most female gospel artists in Africa, she has escaped attacked and libel and has maintained her robust stance to retain her recognized status as 'a woman of destiny'. Throughout her youth, Bethen's dogmatic character began to surface. She had a sportive, playful attitude toward authority. If you were chosen to be a leader over her, you would have to impressively prove you could do it before expecting any submission from her! She wasn't completely disrespectful or rebellious, and she never truly meant to be a challenge to authority. It was just that her leadership ability was so great, that those around her were automatically challenged and left speechless. Even as a child, when Bethen walked onto the stage to sing, she would capture everyone's attention without having to speak one word.
Bethen was a "study in relaxed determination." At seventeen, she was a beautiful girl who had discovered her musical gift and had already sailed to fame and seemed to have everything she wanted. Unlike the other African girls, she kept her purity until her Mr Right, Lyton Ngolomi, came along and proposed to marry to her. Happily wedded they are but have not yet spoken about children. The two are lovebirds and are financially comfortable. They wear stylish designer clothes, and are an adoration to their thousands of fans across Africa.
Finally Bethen's word to the girls and women out there in Africa desiring to go for the Africa gospel gold in the music industry is that they should, be bold in the mainstream of life, but should not allow the secular world to clone them in their mold.
'Be uninhibited and freely demonstrate the love and freedom that Jesus brought to the earth. And stand firm in the face of pressure, never flinching in the face of fear. Also, be bold to perform the plan of God for your life in the strength of what heaven has called you to do.' said Bethen.
She further encourages girls and women in the ministry of God to be passionate in the gifts of the Spirit, but never be excessive.
'Don't intimidate the crowd just because you have the power and the gift,' she instructed. Bethen often used the example of an automobile and its power to make this point. Although it could easily go eighty miles an hour, one would have to be very foolish to rev it to that speed in the middle of a crowd. She points out that such power from the Holy Spirit has always there, but that it is meant to be used over the long haul of ministering God's service to others.
'Stay in the middle of the road: Being excessive might skyrocket you, but you will eventually explode and plummet to earth. The Christian faith is a way of life, so run it like a marathon - not a sprint.'
Now it's up to the girl child and women of Africa to take the torch Bethen is passing on to us, never settling for the mediocrity of a "religious" life. With her as a role model and emerging African gospel music icon she is billed to shake your world for God with the freedom, boldness, and wisdom that God has given her.
She finally urges all to stand strong in the "middle of the road," as they fulfill their personal destiny in the call of God.
Last year in December she released her brand new album Paita Nyasha (His Grace Is Here) Apparently she has earlier this year released a new single dubbed 'Mambakwedza' (Dawn in English) in collaboration with Zimdancehall music maestro Tocky Vibes of the recent Toti Toti fame.
Source - Maxwell Teedzai in Harare
