Chitheka’s never-ending gospel journey 

The Chitheka Family is one of the old gospel music acts in the country. Through the years, the Chitheka name has carried the gospel music tag graciously on their shoulders. Changes in the set-up of the group have not deterred their ministry one bit. After some family members dropped out of the group due to various reasons, the mantle was left with Apostle Enesia Chitheka-Louis to lead the ministry as a sole artist. To date, she has not shown signs of stopping with the music journey. Our Staff Reporter BRIAN ITAI caught up with her to discuss the journey and new direction her music ministry is taking.

Q

: It has been a journey for the Chitheka Family in gospel music. How many years now ministering through music?

A

: It has been a long journey because we started in 2001, which means now it is almost 21 years ministering to people through music.

Q

: How can you describe this journey?

A

: It has been a journey with both ups and downs. Sometimes it has been really good, sometimes you would almost contemplate on giving up because of lack of financial support. It felt like people were used that gospel is always a free commodity. So, it has not been easy during the time we started. You really needed to have a heart of ministering, that I can testify. Otherwise, there was no progress that one could make. But God put it in my heart and I went on.

Q

: How many albums have you released so far?

A

: From the beginning, I was leading the Chitheka Family which was a group. During that time we did four albums, starting with Msiyeni Mulungu in 2001. In 2003 we did Mfuneni Ambuye and then Mwazi Wa Yesu and Simudzalora followed.

Now we underwent a transition as other members left because of financial problems. The finances that we were making could not sustain us as we were now all grown-ups. Some were married, had children and the responsibility was just huge. Others went to seek greener pastures in South Africa and some went other ways here in Malawi.

After all those developments, I also fell sick for a period of six years. I only released my first album as a solo singer in 2015 titled Apostle Chitheka. Then I released Jehova Nyasadabuza. It was in 2016 when I started the live recordings starting with the compilation Wakale Samasintha and last year I released Soaked In Worship 1.

Q: Now, as Apostle Chitheka, what breakthroughs have you made?

Q: I just want to thank God because I never thought about this. I never even dreamt about it. It was so hard to think that I could come this far. This was all due to God’s grace. I have managed to bring out two live recorded albums which is not easy. Knowing Malawi, we don’t have the best equipment that can support such projects. But with what we had, God helped us to release the albums and the response has been overwhelming. I can see the hand of God because we have gone from glory to glory.

Q: How is your last album faring on the market?

A

: I can say the album is doing well. There is one thing that I have realised since I started doing music, the CD that you release doesn’t sale fast on the market. It is always the previous one which people scramble for. Right now it is Wakale Samasintha that is really doing well on the market. But I have discovered that many people are not using CDs in their homes or vehicles nowadays. Most are using memory sticks. We are trying to find means to meet them where they are and make music available in memory sticks. But through platforms such as MalawiMusic.Com, Apple Music, Deezer, Spotify where we put the music, it is doing good.

Q

: How do you look at the status of gospel music now?

A

: I feel we are at a place where a big change has to happen. We need to change the way we approach it. We need to add some things that were not there before because somewhere the gospel is not doing well. We are falling short in preparations. The way we rehearse for live performances is not encouraging. Each and every gospel artist knows that the industry is moving fast and we can’t get stuck in the same place. We need to raise our game and present it in the most unique way possible.

Q

: You have recently announced a concert where you have teamed up with Lawi. People may be asking why Lawi?

A

: Yes! There is a concert coming up on June 4. I have teamed up with Lawi because of the song he did. It is my kind of song I like. It is a worship song. It is a worship that hosts God. I like to speak to God telling him who he is and what he can do. He sang a song which I am reproducing in the studio now together with him. It is called Oyera. It is a beautiful song. It has helped me in my devotion times when I am alone. It brings me in the presence of the Lord. So, I decided to sing with him so we can deliver it together during the concert. People should expect to encounter the presence of the Lord. If you host God, he always comes down.  n