Sibalo, Sengwayo music returns

Daniel Sibalo and Missiondom Sengwayo have come together to produce a gospel album, Coming From the Cold,  which could mark the return of the renowned gospel music families to the music industry.

Gospel is a music genre that raised the late Brian Sibalo and Freedom Sengwayo to stardom.

Daniel and Missiondom seem to have decided to take over from where Brian and Freedom left.

"I started singing in church just like most musicians, but that was at Sunday school only. I never thought I could sing in a way that people would appreciate.

"At school I was asked to join the school choir in Grade Three, simply because of my relationship to the late Brian Sibalo, I did not disappoint then and our choir came first in the competition," said Daniel.

He was in the choir for three years and they came first twice and then second the other year.

"It was then that I realised I had a good voice," said Daniel.

He said in 1997 he was invited to the studio where his late brother Brian used to record his music and asked to finish recording the album Busa Nkosi, which was partly recorded by Brian before he died.

"The producer wanted someone who could match Brian's voice and again I did not disappoint. I did lead vocals on three of the songs, Ndopururudza, Shackled and Busa Nkosi the title track," he said.

Daniel, after the recording, took a sabbatical only to return to music in 2007 after receiving encouragement from Jabulani Ndlovu.

"After that I recorded a solo album in 2007 having been encouraged to do so by Jabulani Ndlovu, the then producer at RTP," Daniel said.

The album was titled Have Mercy Oh God and featured his friend Enock Gorerazvo. After the album I gave up on music again even though I would be called to assist some friends here and there.

"In 2009 my brother Joshua, who is our manager and producer brought me and Missiondom together so that we could work together and we then produced this album Coming from the Cold," he said.

The album has nine songs, Timunamate, Seek the Lord, Ngangilahlekile, Never the Same, Torai Moyo Wangu, Ndichasimuka, Amoya, Ndinokutungamira and Nxa uJesu.

The pair grew up together attending Apostolic Faith Church of Southern and Central Africa, which was founded by the late Reverend Morgan Sengwayo in 1955. Missiondom recorded his first project in 1982 which was a single in memory of his father, Rev Sengwayo who died that same year.

He used to curtain raise for his brother's shows. His musical interest ended when his brother left the country. Missiondom only came back into music recently "We all want to thank our manager and producer, Joshua, for reviving our musical talents. If it was not for him we would not have recorded this project," he said.

Missiondom said the album was dedicated to their late parents and their Overseer at Apostolic Faith Church of Southern and Central Africa Rev Richard John Sibanda. "We were both inspired by our late brothers, we are looking forward to many more projects together even though we will also open doors for solo projects," Daniel said.

Daniel's sister Gloria Anna said Daniel and Missiondom will obviously offer another refreshing dimension to the music made popular by their late brothers.