Zimbabwe: God anointed me in my early teens – Zembe

His vocation as a gospel musician began in Rusap as a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church more than four decades ago.

A strong Christian background shaped him to become a preacher of the Word of God in his early teens.

This meant that he had a bias towards gospel music, which he had been exposed to since childhood.

After completing his advanced level at Mutare, he was already an excellent songwriter, backing vocalist and bass player.

He got most of these techniques from the church.

Like many of his generation, he couldn’t resist the allure of Harare after finishing high school.

Before he settled in Harare for greener pastures, he had a brief stint with Real Unique Natural Notion (The RUNN Family), a group that played secular music.

Prince Tendai and Fortune Muparutsa – both latecomers – gave him a chance to shine when he arrived in Harare.

He then joined the Frontline Kids in the late 80s and toured Europe and Botswana with the group.

When the group broke up in the early 90s, he returned to his roots and left secular music. The rest is now history for Noel Zembe, who has recorded 13 albums under his name.

That sums up Zembe’s vocation as a gospel musician.

As humble as ever, the father of six children does not regret having given his life to Christ.

Zembe feels blessed at 55, according to The Herald Arts.

With over 35 years of experience at the top, he sees God’s grace.

After all, Zembe saw the death of many artists of his generation.

For him to be alive and well, it can only be by God’s grace.

“For me, prayer has always been my way of life since the days I was in Rusape and the Nyazura mission.

“God spoke to me in a special way to serve Him, and therefore I could not leave His service through the gospel.

“I’ve tried secular music before, but I keep coming back to do gospel,” he said.

Although he kept a low profile, Zembe showed that he is still very much in the game.

“I can’t quit music because it’s my way of life. I actually have my 13th album titled ‘Ndiyamkereiwo’ ready for consumption.

“I could have released it a few weeks ago, but we have another collaboration with Emmanuel Thomas that is doing well called Chavhuvhuruka, which has great videos.”

When many of his peers wondered how he was making ends meet, Zembe replied:

“Now I am doing many tasks like many other people in Zimbabwe. I buy and sell products that support me and my family.

“Besides music, I realized that it was a mistake to put all my eggs in one basket and decided to go into the grocery business. It’s a busy business.”

Zembe, who still gets contracts to speak at church conferences and other big events, added:

“In our line of business, we have to multitask to be able to take care of our families.

“I do my best, although I still want more in life, just like any other person.”

Known for popular hits such as ‘Ndaiwana Hama’, ‘Tavekuchanyara’, ‘Rangariro’, ‘Hatina Musha’ and other tracks in his extensive discography, Zembe misses the past when the showbiz industry was wholesome.

“I made so many hits that people know, but the pirates benefited more than we did.

“The end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 90s left pleasant memories for us, because the industry paid well.

“You can smile all the way to the bank to get the royalties, but right now we’re recording and releasing new material for the sake of relevance,” Zembe explained.

Reflecting on his formative years, Zembe said the unity of the industry helped him realize his potential.

“In my early years in Harare, I met people who I can call angels from God, although both of them (Prince Tendai and Fortune Muparutsa) are now late.

“Two guys took me to High Density Studios where I auditioned to start recording.

“I realized I could sing and ended up working with other top bands, including the Frontline Kids, where I made a name for myself.”

Zembe, who dropped out of higher education where he studied marketing and accounting to pursue music, believes God is using him as a special vessel.

“There are many things that I have achieved, like spreading the word of God through music, through some of our royalties, which I see as an achievement. I will not forget the European tours that brought us to the international stage.

“We were popular at one time, and I’m happy to remember the memories we made in my childhood, when it was not easy to reach the international level.

“The most important treasure that I will always cherish is a healthy life, because I lost many people along the way.”

Musically, he boasts of a rich catalog of albums that includes ‘Rugare’, ‘Masodzi’, ‘Mwari Wenyasha’, ‘Kodzero’, ‘Nguva YaMwari’ featuring Jah Prayzah among others.

Zembe, a talented song writer, believes that God has anointed him to do the work of His ministry since childhood.

Everything he touched turned to gold. Possessing a songwriting technique and a beautiful voice, Zembe continues to touch the hearts of many with his music, which is known to heal those in despair.

He is married to Chennai Moyo and the couple has been blessed with six children — four girls and two boys.