Spreading God’s word in song
As local artists continue to make music, a new gospel duo called The Fortress has entered the scene. Comprising sisters Tamanda and Thabi Kamwangala, the new duo is promising to be a force to reckon with if their latest single Eagle is anything to go by. Our Arts editor EDITH GONDWE caught up with the sisters to discuss their music career and other issues.
Q
: What inspired you to form the group The Fortress?
A
: (Tamanda) Fortress is a gospel duo of sisters named Tamanda and Thabi Kamwangala, who are from the Kachingwe/Kamwangala clan. We started singing at the tender age of six and four. At that time, we did not know our talent but our parents discovered our talent and encouraged us to grow although they were strict with school and Thabi has a master’s degree in strategic management and I [Tamanda] has a master’s degree in business management.
Fortress sings urban gospel and we are working on an album.
Currently we have released our video titled Eagle. Fortress is a calling. We are ministers of the gospel and our music is here to demonstrate the love, and power of God to us all.
A
: (Thabi) Well, truth is we decided and made the decision to live for God and what better way to do that than through the talents he gave us one of which is singing.
Q
: Let us talk about your latest single Eagle. What inspired you to write the song and what is the message?
A
: The writers in the Bible often used the eagle in many of their scriptures because it is a symbol of strength, vision and power.
The eagle is used to strengthen our walk in Christ, to live a righteous life of strength and to continue challenging us to walk each day with might as God guides us. Some of the verses that encouraged us to write Eagle are Isaiah 40 verse 31, Revelations 12 verse 14, 1 Samuel 1 verse 23, Exodus 19 verse 4 and Job 39 verse 27 to 29.
Isaiah 40 verse 31 is the verse that inspired us to write the song Eagle. You may have been wondering what inspired it. The thing is we had a revelation. You often hear that the lion is the most powerful animal. It is even called the king of the jungle. But we forget that there is an eagle. It is majestic in nature and it sees things from far in the air. Its characteristics are ones to fathom with. The message is simple it does not matter people have called you or what they say you are, even what you are going through. You are like an eagle. With God by your side all things are possible.
Q
: What are your plans now that the single is out?
A
: (Tamanda) We are currently working on our album, which will be released soon and of course more videos to come as well.
The gospel music world has received us with love. It all started with our first single Victorious which got over 20, 000 plays and then this video Eagle is getting great reviews.
A
: (Thabi) Our future plans are to release more music, more videos, hopefully an album soon and to just keep spreading the gospel. n
